Married life
by hecalledmecarrots
Summary: Short snap shots into the insights of married life. Far too little was shown of Anne's and Gilbert's relationship and I don't mean THAT side (although...!) but just every day kind of things. I hope you enjoy them! Includes my previously published stories, Imagine and the Sickness, both chapters are named as such so feel free to skip them! Not particularly in any order!
1. Omelette

"You were up early my love, I didn't get the chance to kiss you good morning." Gilbert said coming into the kitchen and standing behind Anne, one arm wrapped around the small of her waist bringing them close together.

"It's your first day working as 'Doctor Blythe' I couldn't have you leave the house hungry. No doubt you'll be called sooner rather than later"

"You don't need to make me breakfast." He told her. Looking at the pan the eggs were already in and the other ingredients

"I most certainly do!" she exclaimed "what kind of house wife would I be if I didn't make you breakfast?"

Gilbert kissed her on her neck "I didn't marry you for your house keeping skills Anne." He said kissing her and pulling her closer to him. He continued the embrace kissing her up to her ear and then back down to her collarbone, he slowly moved his hand southward from the small of her back round her front

"I hope **this** is not the reason you married me either, I hoped to bring more to the relationship then **that**."

"Not _only_ reason." He murmured "Just a fortunate advantage." He spun her round to face him and she met his lips with her. The kisses and embraces became hot and intense very quickly "my wife!" Gilbert managed between kisses.

Anne smiled into his kisses. Yes, she was most definitely his _wife_. _Wait_ a small voice in her head said. _His wife who is supposed to be cooking his food._ She pulled away from the embrace and turned towards the food.

"Oh no your omelette!" she cried. "Oh how am I going to rescue this?" She said.

He looked at the food to calm himself down, it didn't look burnt even as she was picking up the bottom off the frying pan the bottom of it was brown rather than black… mostly. The omelette itself was falling apart, the more Anne tried to pick it up the more if fell apart.

"I will have to start again." She said. "I hate to waste food. But I can't make you eat this." She said looking at the fallen apart Omelette on the plate.

"What's wrong with it?" Gilbert said. "Let me eat it, it looks fine to me."

"An omelette is in on piece Gil, not seven!" she said in despair.

"Please Anne let me eat it, you can't disregard food because it doesn't look right, that would be wasting it, I'm sure it tastes good all the same"

"You're being kind." Anne said with a huff.

"I'm being hungry." He told her. He took the plate and sat at the table. She had already toasted some bread and had butter out on the table, she had put several varieties of fruit on the table for him. "Food fit for a king." He exclaimed. She sat next to him at the table and watched him eat.

She watched him as the food pasted from plate to mouth. "No Gil not that bit its practically charcoal!" She exclaimed as he ate through the food.

"Then it'll do wonders for my digestive system won't it." He protested. "You short change yourself Anne this is really good. What did you put in it?"

"Eggs, milk, a little ham and cheese, chives, garlic…"

"ermm" he said "That's what I can taste, Garlic." He said.

"That's the way I've always done them." She said smiling at him. He picked up a bread roll and the phone began to ring. "its okay Gil, you finish your breakfast I'll get that for you." He heard the murmuring of the chat through the walls as he finished his breakfast along with "Yes, Doctor Blythe will be with you soon." She came back in as he was finishing.

"That was the Smith's up on Argyle Street" she said. "The little boy has a rash." She said to him. "I said you would be there soon." She said clearing up the mess from breakfast placing them in the sink

"I should be going then." He said. "I guess it's the end of our honeymoon then." He said sadly Taking his plate to her.

"Yes, we're an old married couple now Gil." She joked back taking the plate from him and placing it on the side bench.

"Thank you for my…" he didn't know what to call it "scrambled omelette." He said with a cheeky grin. She smiled trying to refrain from laughing. He kissed her lightly on the lips and walked towards the door "I shall look forward to my roasted mashed potatoes tonight." He opened the door looked behind him to a bemused Anne behind him; he smiled and winked then headed out the door.


	2. Imagine

"Well you know the only way now a days for men to be really happy is to have a mistress on the side, one women is never enough for one man?"

Anne Blythe overheard this at the post office by a women distinctively like Mrs Lynde, the difference being this women seemed to be heathen and was nothing but a gossip, in her year at her "House of Dreams" this women tongue had done more damage in people's lives then a bull would to china in a china shop. Anne was there posting her weekly letters to Avonlea. She thought the entire conversation was ridiculous, hardly one she was paying attention to, she doubting "The Women" as Gilbert called her even noticed Anne was there her suspicions only confirmed when she said

"And that Young Doctor and his _Bride_ hair as red as carrots I doubt it will be long before he is not satisfied, she's so thin and sickly, he deserves someone with a bit more to her…"

That was it! Anne Blythe had had enough, except instead of snapping as she may have once done, she turned on one heal and was out the door. She didn't do this for dramatic effect she just wanted to be out of the same room as poison.

 _How ridiculous_ Anne had thought. _My Gil would never do such a thing he loves me._ She continued her walk home, though some folks around here would say it was ridiculous to walk 3 miles it was something she quite enjoyed and anyway the distance was about the same from Green Gables to Gilbert's parents home. A trek she used to make frequently, anyway it would give her a chance to cool off before she saw Gilbert, "That Women" had made her blood boil.

 _Gilbert! Unfaithful! The idea! We love each other and we are never away from each other… well not for very long._ Her pace slowed _There is one thing I agree with her on, he does deserve someone beautiful._ She thought.

The picture flashed in her mind. A sick new patience coming in to Gilbert's care. He would nurse her better to find Cordelia (for this would be her name) had a rose leaf complexion, had beautiful raven black hair and starry eyes (Much like she had often wished herself to be) and fall instantly in love with her. Her feet carried her faster home, for it was going to happen, if it hadn't already. _What if the women was right? Maybe she knows something I don't_.

Gilbert heard the door slam from his study. "Anne?" he called looking up from the mountains of paper work still left to do. "Anne is that you?" He hear shuffling and feet on the stairs, "Anne you're home early I thought you would be longer in town" he then thought he heard something which worried him. Was Anne sobbing? He heard their bedroom door slam and the sound of the bed crunching slightly above him. He followed her upstairs and opened the bedroom door. Sure enough there was Anne, crying.

"Anne?" he asked as the bed dipped as he sat on the bed next to her. "whatever is the matter?"

Anne looked up at him for a moment, her eyes were shot red she had evidently been crying for some time. " 'The Women' was gossiping in the post office, she said that men could never be satisfied and they would take on a mistress, then she said I was thin and sickly and had red hair and that it would be no surprise to her if…." She trailed off and dug her head into her pillow. Gilbert's jaw dropped that anyone in polite company even _The Women_ would speak such evil, but what it that had trailed Anne was off into such hysteria. "… if…" she continued " _You_ soon took a mistress!" Anne now in the full throws of a crying hysteric.

Gilbert couldn't believe his ears. "…and you believed her?" he gasped.

"Well… no not at first…"Anne admitted but as I was walking home I imagined you had a beautiful patient and you…. You…" she faded.

Gilbert mouth half dropped in exasperation half in complete astonishment "Let your imagination run wild again did you?" he stroked Anne's beautiful red hair. She let out more sobs. "Oh Anne!" Gilbert soothed "don't fret my love, I would never cheat on you."

"You can't say that!" Anne came back with. "You know what you married!" she said sitting up. Gilbert looked at her confused his forehead wriggled with confusion " I do have red hair and I am thin and sickly and homely and you do deserve better than me!" She looked down to her lap.

Gilbert rolled his eyes a little. "Anne" he said gently. "My love, my life, please listen to me." He swung his legs onto the bed kept sitting up but hugged Anne gently into him.

"Did I ever tell you the story of why I loved your red hair so?" He asked. She felt him shake his head. He felt this was permission to tell her the story.

"I must have been six or seven and my dad took me on our first fishing trip on the sea. I'd been fishing on 'the lake of shining water' before but never out to sea. The fishing trip went well we caught a couple of rather large fish… I say we, of course it was dad but he let me take all the credit." He paused a second. "Anyway just as we were finishing up and heading back to shore a storm started to brew and my dad said 'the sirens are calling, we must hurry back'. Not understanding the metaphor as I had never heard it before I asked him what he meant, as I heard no calls, neither sirens. That's when he shared with me the legend of the sirens, calling in fishing boats to dangerous rocks with their beautiful voices then catching the fishermen with their beauty. I asked my dad what they had looked like he said he didn't know, and wasn't sure but he was sure in a book he had read they had the most stunning beautiful red hair." He paused again, Anne this time said up bolt next to him and started to look into his eyes. "I'd never met anyone with red hair at that point so I struggled to think what it would look like. So I went home and drew a picture of three girls, one with brown hair and brown eyes, one with yellow, (although intended as blonde) hair and blue eyes. Well the last one had to be like the sirens I thought so lacking the red pencil as it was blunt and broken I grabbed the pencil the colour of which was called 'carrots' being orange in nature I thought this was the closest I could get, then I thought a while, I knew the sea looked blue but I had read in a book somewhere the actual colour was green. Well, being from the sea they must have the same colour and since the water never looked pure green to me I used grey to colour her eyes also, so green-grey. I thought if I were to die at sea, I would love to be taken by my red haired siren, for she was more beautiful then the other types of girls I had seen. I soon forgot about these pictures and as you know my father got ill so we were gone a good while. Well when I came back to school I saw something red flick by me that first day at school. I saw you." She looked bewilded at him. He slid her down to lie down as he did next to her. He swallowed as he remembered "and that memory came back. Quite suddenly, I got quite the shock when I saw grey green eyes. I couldn't stop staring. I thought I was looking at my siren. When you didn't answer me or look at me, even when I teased I resorted to calling you by the colour of the pencil I had used "carrots", you broke that slate over my head it might as well have been a rock and I might well have died, for I fell for you in that instant, no one had made me feel that way before, no one. I was thirteen!" he said holding her waist to his "I never wanted anyone but _you_." He moved in and kissed her tears from her face "and I will _never_ do anything to hurt you." He kissed her forehead smoothing her red hair more "and once more, you are the most perfect creature I have ever placed my eyes upon, no one can tell the future Anne, but I swear I will never cheat on you, those vows we made almost a year ago, I meant them. I…" he kissed her ear gently she shuddered under his embrace "…want" he continued to her other ear "…you" kissed her again "…by my side" he said bringing her closer and kissing her gently "forever" kissed her again with just the slightest harder touch.

"Oh Gil!" she exclaimed hugging into him. Finally he found her embracing his touch.

"You complete ninny" he whispered to her. "letting your imagination run free like that, and not for good things either." He continued to stoke her hair "it's the problem with grown-ups, we usually only use them to imagine the worst case scenario, which rarely happen if we let providence take its course." He paused deliberately this time and looked her in the eye. "please use your imagination for the good Anne." He pleaded. "I need your beautiful mind to stay as pure and as lovely as possible." he kissed into her red hair. "Don't go filling it with poison, and please don't taint our love with anything which will harm it."

"I love you Gil" she whispered. "I'm sorry, I won't let my imagination run wild again"

"Oh please don't do that!" He protested, then quickly nuzzling and kissing her ear. "Just imagine where this could lead to."


	3. The Sickness

Something stirred him out of his blissful sleep. The sound he had became so familiar to him over the last few weeks. Everyone in town was coming up with this season's stomach bug, where the content of their stomach's... was well... thrown across the room. He'd tried so hard not to bring it home with him... was this going to be their destiny? to have every ailment invade their home, making Anne sick?

 _Wait? That's Anne being sick!_ He quickly shot out of bed and saw her standing over a bowl her hair so loose it was waving about her face. He gently held her hair back for her. And rubbed her back.

"Anne you should have woke me." He said securing her hair with a ribbon.

she gasped at the feeling of air which hit her lungs once her stomach allowed her. "I didn't want to wake you." She said "you looked so peaceful. " between gasps.

"if I can't take care of my own wife who can I take care of?" He said leading her back to bed. Lying her down. "When did you start feeling ill?"

"a couple of days. I've just been tired. I thought it would just go away."

He grabbed his stethoscope while he used his other hand to feel her forehead to check her temperature. "Well you're a little warm but don't have the fever at least. Those have been the worse cases." His doctor instincts kicked in as he unbuttoned her nightdress

"Why Dr Blythe, if you wanted _that_ you should have just said." She flirted

He looked at her for a moment as a doctor then saw the flirty glint in her eyes. He released a chuckle. "It's going to be cold." He told her as he pressed the stethoscope to her chest listening closely to her heartbeat. Then immediately sat her up and checked her back as well.

Gilbert gave out a sigh of relief. "Well your heart rate was a little high but you had just been sick so considering it was okay. Your pupils aren't as dilated as I have seen and you don't have a fever at..." He stopped mid sentance, he saw Anne's glint in her eyes as a flirty one. "What is it?"

"I've never seen Doctor Blythe before." She said. "You're a cute doctor… You examined me so gently. It was so..." She started to take off the bed covers...

Gilbert ' s heart raced for a second, then the doctor in him screamed for him to stop thinking like that and take care of her. "Anne no!" He said rushing by her side putting the bed covers back over her. "You need to rest."

"don't you want me Gil?" She said in a horse voice.

"you know fine well I want you." He whispered back. "But you need to get better." He kissed her on her forehead. "There now rest. It's a violent one for about 48 hours but should settle after that. I'll take care of you."

Four days later he was worried. Anne slept for most of the last 4 days then would be sick when she was awake. He wouldn't leave her side, luckily the stomach bug had died down for now in the village or at least people had figured out that bed rest seemed to be the only cure. She had seemed a little better today even had asked for some food. He was doing his nightly checkup for Anne, when he came to lean over her to check her heart she grasped his lips in her own and pulled him onto her. "Anne no!" He managed to say between her kisses trying to pull away but when he did she pulled his head back down and slid her tongue into his mouth Gilbert lost his control... it had been days... since they had... they hadn't missed a single day since they were married until she had got sick. He had missed her touch, he kissed her fervently and allowed his hand to slip under her nightshirt.

She gasped as his hand reached down but as he did his lips gently pulled back. She looked at him and saw he was trying to analyses something out. She saw in his eyes in his mind his body confused him for a moment, then the look of concentration on his face. As he slid his hand back out and jumped up "What now?" She said frustrated. She could see "the doctor" look on his face. "Gil come on!" She pleaded as he sat facing her on the other side of the bed. He started to lift the bed covers from her and continued to examine her as a doctor would… so analytically he checked everything and everywhere. He finally finished his examination and gently put his hand back over her stomach.

Anne by this point had far forgotten about love making. "Gil what's wrong?"

"Anne, when was your last..." He tried say it as gentleman like as possible."womenly cycle?"

"what? Gil..." she asked going a shade of pink. She saw his face was serious "August 17th" she told him. She saw wheels turning in his head. "Gil..."

"we've been married 6 weeks." He told her.

"yesss" she said quietly not quiet sure where he was going with this.

"you should have had another cycle 2 weeks ago."

"yes but I thought it was the stress of all the changes…. my monthlies were always a bit sporadic around change it'll come eventually."

"no it won't." He said gently. She looked confused at him. He continued... "Anne, you're tired, you're sick more in the mornings then better by the evenings. It didn't click until…, they have swollen it felt bigger than normal your heart rate is up a little... other observations included…" He looked at Anne who still looked confused. "I think you might be pregnant." The shock on Anne's face was obvious. "I won't know for sure for a while, but…"

"How?" Anne asked still up bringing her body closer to his sitting up.

"How?!" he replied with a chuckle "Gee Anne, after the last 6 weeks I didn't think you'd need a biology lesson on the birds and the bees."

They both laughed at this. "That's not what I mean… Just, can it happen that quickly?"

"I'd hope the obvious answer is yes, unless you frolicked with someone before me days before we married." He teased.

"Do you think it could have been our first time?" she whispered.

"Certainly one of the first times. Within the first week I would say."

"Oh Gil! Our honeymoon baby." She said with a far off look in her eye. "When will they come?"

"If I'm right I would say early June." Gilbert paused. "I'm not 100% sure, you know it could be a false alarm yet." He turned his body to be more directly in line with hers. "I'll need to keep you under close observation to keep you and our baby safe."

"Our baby." She repeated smiling.

He smiled too. "Ours." He said quietly rubbing her tummy as she lay back down "I can't believe our child could be growing inside of you right now." He kissed her lightly on the stomach over her night dress. Then moved up her body with his hand and kissed her harder on the lips more passionately. "I…" he said kissing her again "Can't believe.." kissing her again "how…" again kissing her "this is making…" he said "me feel…."

"Emmm." She said, something crossed her mind. "Can this hurt it?" She asked.

Gilbert moved closer "Old wives tale." He said, "No medical reason…"

That was the last he was able to say for the rest of the evening.


	4. Nesting and late Pregnancy

**Well I'll be honest with you I didn't think this would be the next one I would be updating! It has been a very long time, I had started to think my mind didn't want to see Anne and Gilbert finally happily married! I don't know which pregnancy this is, I'll be honest, I think I narrowed it down to one of the first two I want to tell you its Joy's but that also makes me sad because its such a tender evening for the couple. Please note Anne can't make up her mind if its a Girl or a Boy so its not giving away any clues! Hope you all like it**

"Good evening Sweetheart" Gilbert said arriving home after a long day at work. It had started at 4 in the morning where upon he found when he attended was a case of an allergic reaction rather then the deadly smallpox epidemic feared. Only to be called to a long birth which produced yet another "Little Gilbert" in Four Winds.

It was now a late 7pm and deciding that there was nothing more pressing then getting home to his eight month pregnant wife he promptly returned to find a sweet smell of Anne's home made Chicken and vegetable pie and a waddling Anne who wrapped her arms around him.

Gilbert eyes fell on his heavily pregnant wife. She was stunning! No really! Glowing beyond even he believed possible, her small frame should be toppling over with the weight of her now rounded stomach. She had became more and more beautiful the further along the pregnancy she got and she was carrying his child! His baby nestled and slept within her!

"Hello my love." she greeted him. "He's getting stronger I felt him kick twice today, I even saw his little foot!" she exclaimed holding her pregnant belly.

"Is that right? Sounds like a Blythe to me." Gilbert said kneeling in front of her kissing the round of her tummy then putting a hand up to her tummy talked to it "Is baby Blythe okay in there? Guess what? daddy's home! You know that means you have to give me half an hour to eat my dinner then we get to read some Tennyson." He told the round of her tummy. He then kissed it before he felt the stomach move. He gasped as he felt his babe move within his wife, Anne's eyes flew open to a soft green as the baby moved around her belly.

"He knows his papa." Anne said with a smile.

"I thought you had decided its a girl?" Gilbert questioned Anne.

"I can't decide, everyone says you carry high for a girl but then I heard you crave savoury for a boy and sweet for a girl and all I've been craving is potatoes, by the sack full... oh and of course milk though I think that's for the heartburn rather then the baby."

"Well whichever it is they'll have plenty of hair. We must have ran out of milk on a daily bases." He stood up and walked through to the kitchen, he noticed it looked very tidy again and things weren't in the same places as they were when he left. "Have you been nesting again Anne?" He asked.

"Wherever I look there is just mess Gil, can't you see it?" She asked.

He looked around their very small but perfectly formed kitchen and once again was completely perplexed by the hormone which was causing her to clean and tidy when there was nothing to clean and tidy. Anne always kept a beautifully neat and tidy home which in his opinion had sent her into a mad frenzy whenever something was out of place.

"Our home is perfect Anne, I really can't see the same 'mess' as you can."

She cut him a large piece of pie and gave him it on a plate, his knife and fork were already set on the table along with her own. He noticed as she cut her own it was a decisively smaller piece in front of her.

"Aren't you going to have more then that?" He asked her worried. "You're eating for two now dear."

"Oh don't be such a nag Gilbert." she scowled. "You try eating when a baby is intent on lying on your stomach and using your bladder as a squeeze toy. I can't eat more then this right now, I'll get more later if I am hungry."

He sighed at her reply but made no comment. She didn't normally snap but these pregnancy hormones were driving her to snap easier than normal he felt sometimes her hormones were sending her temper back to her youthful temper with him, but she would just as quickly snap back out to a happy Anne, or a sad Anne, or a lustful Anne (the latter he feared more and more would bring on Anne's labour early, but oh how could he resist her!?)

They quietly ate their food, finished and went into the parlour, he lit the fire Gilbert reached for his Tennyson book and pulled out ..."What the Dickens!" He exclaimed at the author of the book he pulled out. "Did you think the bookshelf was messy?" He laughed. "I thought we agreed on organising by genre?" He asked her.

"Well it didn't look right." Anne said frustrated. "So its all alphabetized." She told him.

He dropped his head and shook it laughing under his breath. " oh Anne! This nestling had to stop sweetheart, I won't be able to find anything and all this stretching can't be good for the baby, The house is beautifully in order." He put the book back and searched for the 'T' section. " why would it matter how the books are arranged when the baby comes?"

"It doesn't work like that." She told him. " it's like when you have a picture of how something should look in your mind but then when you see it, it somehow doesn't match the description so I try to rearrange it to match the picture only to have a new picture replace it the next day."

He found his Tennyson book and sat next to Anne where he found her crying. " what's wrong?" he asked putting his arm around her and stroking her arm.

"You're putting up with so much Gilbert! I'm moody one second then happy the next..."

"Its your hormones sweetheart, they'll settle back down once you have the baby."

"What if, this is me though? What if it isn't hormones and you've just married a moody crazy..." she sobbed something inaudible into his chest.

Gilbert chuckled. "Oh Anne, have you forgotten, I fell in love with you while you still insisted and I quote 'would never forgive Gilbert Blythe', I know every side of you, I know all of you and I love every single version of Anne there is and don't you forget it." he kissed into her hair.

"Oh Gil you are so sweet." She kissed him slowly. "Oh its been such a tiring day. I'm all swollen everywhere, I look like a house!"

He smiled "You my dear are glowing and are getting more and more beautiful every day." He sighed. "Where are you hurting?"

"My ankles and feet." she told him, he handed her the Tennyson book and sat between her legs on the floor took off her shoes and knee high tights and started to rub round Anne's ankles. "Oh Gil, no you've been taking care of people all day, you should be coming home to a wife who takes care of you, not the other way round."

"Rubbish." He told her. "How can I not take care of my two VIP patients hmm? what kind of doctor would that make me?"

They looked lovingly into each others eyes, before Gilbert dropped his gaze and started rubbing again.

He then without the book started quoting Tennyson for her

"That story which the bold Sir Bedivere,

First made and latest left of all the knights,

Told, when the man was no more than a voice

In the white winter of his age, to those

With whom he dwelt, new faces, other minds..."

He watched her features relax and slowly she drifted off to sleep. A good while after she had fallen asleep he finished rubbing her feet picked her up off the sofa and took her up to bed. He gently loosen her clothes unfastened her pregnancy corset (such a bad idea in his own opinion but she insisted on keeping lady like insisted on still wearing a corset so he had gone and bought some a couple of pregnancy ones so it at least didn't nip her round her stomach) as he did she stirred a little

"Its okay" He whispered. "I brought you to bed, just lift a little so I can get these off you properly." to which she obeyed. he undid her hair but left it in the plait it fell into. She was turned towards his side of the bed he quickly got ready for bed himself then climbed into bed with her. He watched her for a few moments. His lovely wife lay before him. Today, including the hormones and the nesting he loved her a little bit more again, it shook him to the core every time he felt it. He pinched himself again to make sure it was all real, but it was and Anne (formally Shirley now Blythe) lay before him as his wife carrying their child within. He put his hand on her pregnant belly and came as close as he could to her. Those lines came back to him again

"He said, "She has a lovely face;

God in his mercy lend her grace."

As he closed his eyes, he said a silent prayer of thanks for God lending her grace to him and for the tiny life growing within his wife. Then Gilbert Blythe fell into a peaceful slumber.


	5. Mayflowers

**"How kind and thoughtful you are, Captain Jim. Nobody else—not even Gilbert"—with a shake of her head at him—"remembered that I always long for mayflowers in spring." Anne's House of Dreams**.

Anne and Gilbert disclosed the last chapter was Joy's pregnancy, as is this one which happen a little by it before the last chapter...

============ as always all quotes from the book are in bold=================

Gilbert did remember. Oh how he did... and it broke his heart. Twice he had tried to give her Mayflowers and twice his heart was broken.

Gilbert had seen Mr Phillips give Prissy those Mayflowers

"Sweets to the sweet" He' whispered to Prissy.

'Well if that isn't enough to make your stomach churn' Gilbert thought to himself his face pulling a face to match his thought, he didn't know what would. He knew technically speaking there was nothing in the rules to say a teacher couldn't court a student but he found it creepy. The way Mr Phillips looked at Prissy was just... wrong!

He shook his head and in the mist of his thought he saw Anne's expressive eyes looking longingly at the flowers. He caught his breath at how beautiful she was 'I wonder if she'll ever forgive me' he thought with a tinge of self destruct.

Diana caught Anne's hand and giggled "Do you think anyone would get us Mayflowers?" Anne joined in Diana's giggling.

"Oh how I long for Mayflowers in Spring!" Anne replied to her dreamily.

So he had gathered some Mayflowers, all the different shades and colours he could find, maybe just maybe they would get Anne to like him.

He'd gone and offered them to her, her eyes shone a beautiful green colour for just a few seconds, a hope raised in him... did... did she forgive him? But just as quickly she saw the giver of the flowers her eyes turned a scornful grey she turned her nose up and walked away.

Wow, she hated him as much as she loved Mayflowers. And that he knew was a lot!

========== second memory===========

 **Gilbert sat down beside her on the boulder and held out his Mayflowers.** He hoped he could bring a bit of home back for her, to make her as happy as possible in this moment, maybe, just maybe he would have a chance.

 **"Don't these remind you of home and our old schoolday picnics, Anne?"**

 **Anne took them and buried her face in them.**

 **"I'm in Mr. Silas Sloane's barrens this very minute," she said rapturously.**

 **"I suppose you will be there in reality in a few days?"** he asked her nervously

 **"No, not for a fortnight. I'm going to visit with Phil in Bolingbroke before I go home. You'll be in Avonlea before I will."** He nodded understanding, yes, good for her going back to where she was born, maybe it would help her close a chapter in her life, maybe he could open another...

 **"No, I shall not be in Avonlea at all this summer, Anne. I've been offered a job in the Daily News office and I'm going to take it."**

 **"Oh," said Anne vaguely. Well,it is a good thing for you, of course." she replied to him**

 **"Yes, I've been hoping I would get it. It will help me out next year."**

 **"You mustn't work too HARD,"** he looked at her hopefully, does she care? " **You've studied very constantly this winter." without pausing she continued "Isn't this a delightful evening?**

….. (please again dear reader forgive my omitting part of their conversation. But if you want to read it, its in Anne of The Island, the chapter Gilbert speaks.)

 **"Oh, don't say it, Don't—PLEASE, Gilbert."**

 **"I must."** his heart had raced constantly in her presence and he couldn't stop it **"Things can't go on like this any longer. Anne, I love you. You know I do. I—I can't tell you how much. Will you promise me that some day you'll be my wife?"**

 **"I—I can't," she seemed to say without any pain. "Oh, Gilbert—you—you've spoiled everything."** she accused him.

….. (again read the book)

 **"No, I can't," exclaimed Anne desperately. "I never, never can love you—in that way—Gilbert. You must never speak of this to me again."**

Never again. The words rung in him twisting the already fatal blow which hit his heart when she said she couldn't.

 **"Is there anybody else?"** If there was he could almost forgive the moment, maybe she can't care for me because.. **.**

 **"No—no," said Anne eagerly. "I don't care for any one like THAT—and I LIKE you better than anybody else in the world, Gilbert. And we must—we must go on being friends, Gilbert."**

A laugh escapes me and all I can see is white in front of me **.**

 **"Friends! Your friendship can't satisfy me, Anne."** He knew these words were selfish and he would regret saying them later **"I want your love—and you tell me I can never have that."**

 **"I'm sorry. Forgive me, Gilbert,"** was all she said.

Oh forgive her? Yes that's just fine isn't it! He handed her his hopes and dreams his whole heart and she had just stomped on it without any hint she had known how much it killed him to have her say no to him.

 **Gilbert released her hand gently.**

 **"There isn't anything to forgive. There have been times when I thought you did care. I've deceived myself, that's all. Goodbye, Anne."** As he got up a whiff of Mayflowers hit right at the back of his nostril, he didn't particularly like them before, he was pretty sure he would never forgive those horrible flowers now.

He finished his tale as they climbed into bed that April evening.

"So you see my love, I associate Mayflowers with you rejecting me." He said with a sigh. He looked at Anne, his Anne, his seven month pregnant wife, blooming in the eager anticipation of their first child. It seemed impossible she had ever rejected him, but still the feeling lingered. Whenever he saw the little blossom in spring, it didn't give him hope, it sent him into a downward cascade of self destruct until he saw Anne again to calm his fears.

"Oh Gil!" Anne said with a tear in her eye. "I'm so sorry, you'll never know how much I regretted... I felt I had to say no, you know now, you know I wished I had said yes that first time don't you?"

"Of course I do now, I'm afraid I may never get rid of the association though..." He smiled "perhaps our little boy will pick them for you every spring." He said rubbing into Anne's tummy and kissing it. Before he sat up in bed allowing Anne to snuggle into his side.

"I think its a girl now." She told him. She said with a cheeky grin.

"Maybe its twins" he joked knowing her past association with twins, giving her a wink, Anne couldn't escape them.

"think just one will do just fine." she said laughing.


	6. Through the Sorrow

**AN: I don't feel qualified to write such a chapter, I'll be honest and its not like the other chapters where there is a lot of chumminess between them. Its been written for a little while now and I never had the guts to post it. It covers from Joy's birth to up to Jem's. I may write a chapter on finding out they were expecting Jem but it didn't feel right to write it in this chapter. I may even write little bits in between in later chapters... I hope I don't offend or upset anyone, I know its a sensitive subject and one I wanted to handle with care, so I'll apologise up front for it. My heart goes out to ANYBODY whose lost a child and I can not know YOUR pain.**

 **The bold is taken from Anne's house of dreams, Sorry if you haven't made it that far in the books or maybe you've only seen the mini series and you don't know what is happening. I can only suggest reading the book I'm afraid. The narrative in there is so much more clearer then I would ever hope to make even in a summary. But again I don't know how Montgomery could miss out the fact that in some of these conversations Anne was pregnant and (with our knowledge of what was happening) it may account for the argument Gilbert and Anne had and why she was so hormonal about it! Never mind all is the same...**

This was a long labour and not many long labours like this ended happily. Doctor Dave and the white capped nurse were helping but this was his child he was bringing into the world. He couldn't let Anne see his worry he had to be strong for her.

"Anne, listen to me." He told her. All other voices seemed distance to Anne, she couldn't focus on the other two people in the room but Gilbert's voice rang through loud and clear. "You're ready to welcome our baby but you need to push hard, we need our baby out. Do you understand?" He asked her. She looked at him, her eyes reflected in the shear pain she had been screaming in since mid day. Oh it pained him to see her in such pain, he had offered what little pain relief was available but she had refused knowing the risks.

"it hurts!" she squirmed.

"I know it does my love" he said wiping her forehead again, "It'll be over so very soon, I promise." He took his position back at her foot, he saw another contraction was rising in her. "Push Anne push."

Half an hour later just as dawn was breaking Gilbert held his daughter in his arms, a moment of relief for his wife was soon washed away as he looked at the tiny bungle barely six pounds he held in his arms. She was even whiter than Anne, which wasn't healthy, he knew in that moment, their child wouldn't live. He wrapped his daughter up in swaddling blankets and lay her next to Anne. Anne unaware of the pain Gilbert felt, she tiredly beamed in motherhood. "Joy" Anne cried. "Oh how perfect you are! And look you'll see the sun rise just as your mama did when I was born" Gilbert saw his daughters eyes open, big and wide just as her mama's, if Gilbert wasn't mistaken she was exactly as her mother.

"Gilbert." his Uncle Dave whispered to him leading him out of the room. "You know don't you?" he asked his Great Nephew.

"Our child can't live." Gilbert stated not able to feel anything at the present moment. "Yes Uncle I know."

"Gilbert, I'm so so sorry." He told him "Anne..." he trailed.

"No, don't tell her yet, I need to. She needs this time to feel joy." He chocked on his daughters name. "I'll tell her soon."

"It needs to be, Gilbert, she won't survive a day." he told him seriously.

"I know that." Gilbert said quietly.

He went downstairs and told of the arrival of baby Joyce. Susan couldn't tell but Marilla could. Gilbert's grey and haggard look was more then just a night of agony for him, he was still in agony.

Gilbert smiled rather sadly as he went away. He went back to their bedroom with Marilla and found Anne there.

 **"Little Joyce," she murmured, We planned to call her that if she were a girlie. There were so many we would have liked to name her for; we couldn't choose between them, so we decided on Joyce-we can call her Joy for short-Joy-it suits so well. Oh, Marilla, I thought I was happy before. Now I know that I just dreamed a pleasant dream of happiness. This is the reality." she said in a dream like state.**

 **"You mustn't talk, Anne-wait till you're stronger," said Marilla warningly.**

 **"You know how hard it is for me not to talk," smiled Anne.**

 **"Gilbert," whispered Anne imploringly, "the baby-is all right-isn't she? Tell me-tell me."**

Gilbert was a long while in turning round he hadn't looked at his Joyce since he saw her open her eyes next to Anne, those same big grey eyes would only make him fall in love with her and he couldn't let his heart be broken; Marilla left the room. He bent over Anne and looked in her eyes.

"Joyce isn't strong enough, there wasn't enough oxygen for her during labour, when it became longer..."

"But she's here now." Anne said with tears in her eyes. "Gil..." she trailed.

"I'm so sorry Anne, it doesn't work like that." he said looking at his baby girl once more. "we don't have long with her, Anne... I'm so sorry."

He moved to bring his arm around her but she pushed him away. His heart broke a little as his wife rejected him. His wife rejected him, God had rejected him as a father. He felt the sting of tears welling in his eyes but couldn't let them flow.

A week later, Anne was no better. He attended to her as a doctor should but she had shut him out of their bedroom, he was "sleeping" in his office downstairs (if that is what you can call it). She was getting no better and he was afraid for her.

"Gilbert?" Marilla knocked on his study door one night. He was sat at his desk with a bottle of unopened whiskey in front of him, oh it was in the house for medical purposes and he had never been a drinker, but he had heard it numbed feelings, and that what he needed right now, was to be numb. He'd contemplated it last night but never did open the bottle, he was sat staring at it when Marilla entered the room. "You're not really considering using that are you?" Marilla asked him.

He looked at another humans face for the first time since Anne rejected him. The worry was spread on his face and Marilla could see it.

"How's Anne?" Marilla asked him.

He sighed, he felt as though he had forgotten how to express his thoughts. "She.. emm" he stuttered. "Not well. She's not recovering very quickly. No doubt not having ..." he trailed, he couldn't say it, he couldn't say his daughters name without it hurting. "to nurse isn't helping" he continued the sentence without his daughters name.

"And you?" Marilla asked.

No one had asked him how he was. Through all of this everyone had asked of Anne as they should, no one had considered him. He looked surprised at Marilla to ask the question. "You lost your daughter too." She said reaching across the desk and putting her hand on top of the back of his palm. Gilbert didn't have the words to describe what he was feeling. He chose the closest words he knew.

"Lost, alone, incomplete" he choked.

Marilla sighed. "Anne hasn't let you back in has she?" Marilla asked him.

He shook his head. "She just needs time." he said to Marilla, hoping it sounded convincing. Marilla stood up and took the whiskey bottle and put it back with the rest of Gilbert's medical supplies. "You have to check her in an hour don't you?" She asked Gilbert. He looked at the clock and nodded. Marilla silently went out the room.

 **"Oh, Anne, don't talk so," said Marilla, genuinely alarmed lest Anne were drifting into deep and dangerous waters. "We can't understand—but we must have faith—we MUST believe that all is for the best. I know you find it hard to think so, just now. But try to be brave—for Gilbert's sake. He's so worried about you. You aren't getting strong as fast as you should."**

 **"Oh, I know I've been very selfish," sighed Anne. "I love Gilbert more than ever—and I want to live for his sake. But it seems as if part of me was buried over there in that little harbor graveyard—and it hurts so much that I'm afraid of life."**

 **"It won't hurt so much always, Anne."**

 **"The thought that it may stop hurting sometimes hurts me worse than all else, Marilla."**

 **"Yes, I know, I've felt that too, about other things. But we all love you, Anne. Captain Jim has been up every day to ask for you—and Mrs. Moore haunts the place—and Miss Bryant spends most of her time, I think, cooking up nice things for you. Susan doesn't like it very well. She thinks she can cook as well as Miss Bryant."**

 **"Dear Susan! Oh, everybody has been so dear and good and lovely to me, Marilla. I'm not ungrateful—and perhaps—when this horrible ache grows a little less—I'll find that I can go on living."**

Gilbert wasn't expecting Anne to respond to him, just as she hadn't the past 8 days. He completed his examinations of her at nine. He stood up to leave the room and reached for the handle.

"Gil?" he heard her voice, barely above a whisper. He lifted his head and looked at his wife. "Won't you stay the night?" She asked him quietly moving the bedsheets to beckon him in. He stood in shock for a moment. He didn't know what to do. He dropped his hand from the door and slowly made his way to the bed lying cautiously at first as far away from Anne as he could in the bed. Then to his shock her arms came around him her head snuggled in his chest, he heard her start to sob he cautiously lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, once they were around her she sobbed deeper and cried to him "I'm so sorry Gilbert, I'm so sorry." she cried.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" He asked her.

"I didn't give you a strong baby." She cried. "I did too much and I hurt her, I didn't mean to, but I hurt our baby, its my fault Joyce isn't here."

Gilbert held her in a little tighter. "This isn't your fault." He whispered. "I couldn't save her." He finally said it after over a week of thinking it he was saying the dreaded words out loud. Tears started falling from his eyes. "I'm a doctor, and I couldn't save my own daughter, my precious little girl." she brought herself now equal to him as they lay face to face on the bed holding each others waist their other arm propping their heads up so they could talk. "What's the point of being a doctor if I can't save my own flesh and blood?" he was crying now as he had never cried before, right there in front of Anne. She hugged him close.

"its not your fault Gil." She whispered. "I know you tried everything." she soothed him. "They're all saying the pain will go away." Anne told him. He shook his head. A little smile played on her lips but never came. "That's what I said." she started to cry again "I forgot you were the one person who would understand!" Anne sobbed. "Maybe if we hold each other and talk to each other we can love each other through the pain we can find solace in this darkest hour. Perhaps there we shall see the light!"

That night and for months after they held each other through the pain. Anne's recovery was a slow one he insisted Susan stay through the summer. Gilbert was glad Anne was now letting him take care of her, he had been worried it might never happen that when it did he took full charge.

 **"You must take your doctor's advice," said Gilbert. "There's an old proverb to the effect that shoemakers' wives go barefoot and doctors' wives die young. I don't mean that it shall be true in my household. You will keep Susan until the old spring comes back into your step, and those little hollows on your cheeks fill out."** he said playing with her cheeks and smiling fondly.

"Gilbert?" She approached him lying in bed, 4 months later, her health was better and those nights in solace with her husband made her long for the future children they had promised each other. She missed the physical side of their relationship as well, she felt now, maybe it was right to start to try for another baby. She lay close beside him and slowly felt his chest beneath her hands, she sat up and uncovered her bare form for him. His pupils dilated in his eyes. He dare not believe what was happening. Until she whispered to him. "I miss you Gil, can't we try again?"

SIX MONTHS LATER

 **"You know very well how she will decide it," said Anne, almost in tears. "She has ideals of duty, too. I don't see how you can take such a responsibility on your shoulders. I couldn't."**

 **"`Because right is right to follow right**

 **Were wisdom in the scorn of consequence,'"**

 **quoted Gilbert.**

 **"Oh, you think a couplet of poetry a convincing argument!" scoffed Anne. "That is so like a man."**

 **And then she laughed in spite of herself. It sounded so like an echo of Miss Cornelia.**

 **"Well, if you won't accept Tennyson as an authority, perhaps you will believe the words of a Greater than he," said Gilbert seriously. "`Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.' I believe that, Anne, with all my heart. It's the greatest and grandest verse in the Bible-or in any literature-and the truest, if there are comparative degrees of trueness. And it's the first duty of a man to tell the truth, as he sees it and believes it."**

 **"In this case the truth won't make poor Leslie free," sighed Anne. "It will probably end in still more bitter bondage for her. Oh, Gilbert, I can't think you are right."**

He finally stood up in disbelief and went to his study. His Anne was acting so out of character. Not even at six months pregnant with Joy had Anne behaved like this. He was sure this child was making her do things and say things she normally wouldn't. He sighed. That wasn't fair. Each pregnancy he knew was individual. Anne was a lot bigger with this child even now at six months she looked the same as she did at 8 with Joy ,and she seemed of late a lot more hormonal. He wondered if she was keeping something from him, but he couldn't well force it from her could he? He was right and he knew it, he knew it just as he knew he and Anne were meant for each other.

The following weeks proved Gilbert was right .

They were sitting in the garden when Anne told Gilbert the news she received.

 **"There is no Dick! The man we have thought Dick Moore- whom everybody in Four Winds has believed for twelve years to be Dick Moore-is his cousin, George Moore, of Nova Scotia, who, it seems, always resembled him very strikingly. Dick Moore died of yellow fever thirteen years ago in Cuba."**

Gilbert took the letter and read in with the same expression as shown in Anne's eyes, he read the letter twice over.

"Won't you forgive me dearest, You were right, you are always right. How can I make it up to you?" She asked him.

"well you can start by stop apologising. I believe we are beyond the bounds of a martial spat here, although I'm glad to report back to you I can listen to my gut feelings again."

"The truth has set Leslie free!" Anne said starting to cry. "And you knew it!"

"Oh my love don't cry all these hormones will shock our baby." He said holding her rounded stomach. He led them back in the house and told Susan all was well and she dismissed herself to bed.

Anne awoke suddenly, her stomach doubled in pain, it was very early morning perhaps 3am and this time she knew for the baby to be born.

"Gil!" She shook him again much as she did the last time , he awoke. He turned over and looked.

"Is it time?" He asked sleepily.

"Yes, but I don't think I'll have the ability to get the pots and pans ready..." she trailed as he felt her tummy then did an inspection.

"Heavens above Anne!" He said rushing down the stairs barely clad, and she waddled behind him a little slower he rang his great uncle again, who promptly arrived half an hour later with a nurse in hand. While they waited they boiled the pots and pans and Gilbert carried them upstairs each time making sure Anne was comfortable then carried his wife to their room sitting her in a chair,, he readied the bed and knelt before his wife.

"Do you need me to wake Marilla?" Gilbert asked her holding her tummy

"No, no let her sleep I...oh!" she felt another contraction. "2 minutes apart." she told him panting.

"Are you ready Baby Blythe?" He said kissing her tummy. "Go easy on mama." he said.

He helped her up as she stood she felt a whoosh of water down her legs.

"Gil." She said in a loud whisper. "My waters just broke!"

"Its alright lie back down Anne take off your nightshirt, here use this one." he helped her get changed then lay her back on the bed. He did another inspection. "That made them move!" He exclaimed. "Anne it won't be long."

"I know I can feel it." She said between contractions

Less then an hour and a half later Anne was pushing and within 15 minutes of her pushing, Gilbert held his new baby in his arms.

"Anne we have a son!" he told her. He was shaking with excitement as he looked at his child as he wrapped him up, again swaddled and shook as he gave him to Anne. "Well he must be ten pounds at least!" Gilbert smiled. As he knelt beside the bed, not waiting to be away from his wife or son.

"He'll live?" Anne asked Gilbert. The babe cried full lung.

"If he has anything to say about it he will." Gilbert smiled. "Yes my love. He is healthy and strong just look at him"

"We can rejoice then!" Anne exclaimed to Gilbert. "Here hold him Gilbert, hold your baby boy, you only had that minute with Joy before you gave her to me now you can feel the joy of fatherhood."

He sat on the bed next to her took the baby in one arm and Anne in the other allowing her arm to hold the baby too. "We can rejoice together for a little while."

"Look at his hair Mrs Doctor." The nurse said. "It's red just as yours." Anne looked furious at the nurse and Gilbert tickled.

"I hope so." He whispered to Anne and smiled. She held the baby under Gilbert's arm, she sleepily fell into a sweet slumber.

 **Half an hour later Gilbert ran down the hall and tapped on the spare-room door. A drowsy voice answered him and in a moment Marilla's pale, scared face peeped out from behind the door.**

 **"Marilla, Anne has sent me to tell you that a certain young gentleman has arrived here. He hasn't brought much luggage with him, but he evidently means to stay."**

 **"For pity's sake!" said Marilla blankly. "You don't mean to tell me, Gilbert, that it's all over. Why wasn't I called?"**

 **"Anne wouldn't let us disturb you when there was no need. Nobody was called until about two hours ago. There was no `passage perilous' this time."**

 **"And-and-Gilbert-will this baby live?"**

 **"He certainly will. He weighs ten pounds and-why, listen to him. Nothing wrong with his lungs, is there? The nurse says his hair will be red. Anne is furious with her, and I'm tickled to death."**

 **..."The best dream of all has come true," said Anne, pale and rapturous. "Oh, Marilla, I hardly dare believe it, after that horrible day last summer. I have had a heartache ever since then—but it is gone now."**

 **"This baby will take Joy's place," said Marilla.**

 **"Oh, no, no, NO, Marilla. He can't—nothing can ever do that. He has his own place, my dear, wee man-child. But little Joy has hers, and always will have it. If she had lived she would have been over a year old. She would have been toddling around on her tiny feet and lisping a few words. I can see her so plainly, Marilla. Oh, I know now that Captain Jim was right when he said God would manage better than that my baby would seem a stranger to me when I found her Beyond. I've learned THAT this past year. I've followed her development day by day and week by week—I always shall. I shall know just how she grows from year to year—and when I meet her again I'll know her—she won't be a stranger. Oh, Marilla, LOOK at his dear, darling toes! Isn't it strange they should be so perfect?"**


	7. 1st Anniversary

Anne stirred in her sleep and subconsciously in waking reached for Gilbert lying next to her. Upon finding no Gilbert there without opening her eyes she silently cursed whoever it was who had called him away so early in the morning... especially today. Their first wedding anniversary.

It hadn't always been the blissful year she'd anticipated a year earlier, but one year on, she loved Gilbert more than she thought possible. He had been a rock through it all. She never should have pushed him away like she had that week. She knew that. And he had been hurting too the whole time and he didn't try to tell her to stop mourning because he needed her but had respected her and did what he thought he should and kept his distance despite his pain. Then that night she had let him back in, oh she had realised, this wasn't just any man, this was the same man who at THIRTEEN turned to a teacher telling the teacher it was his fault HE had been teasing her despite the fact there was still broken pieces of slate still in his hair, of course the same boy who had grown into a man would take the blame on his shoulders for something he couldn't have prevented.

She had grown. They had grown as a couple in that year, they thought after the wedding night they could be no closer, but sorrow had bonded them further than even Anne could have imagined. The heartache was still there of course, yes it was. but the sting of it had subsided as Gilbert had her held her every night since. They would often wake to find themselves face to face arms and legs entangled, just as they had fallen asleep. She felt protected by him, she smiled her knight in shining armour! Of course through it all he had heartache, she still saw it in his eyes underneath even in the happiest moments, after that night he never spoke of his heartache again but she knew Gilbert Blythe she knew.

She opened her eyes her body pointing towards where Gilbert should be lying when she opened her eyes and instead of the matching pillowcase and bedspread she saw lots of rose petals, the same colour she had carried down the isle she looked on the bed around her to find the whole bed from pillow to base was covered in the same rose petals and on the pillowcase a single rose in tact with an envelope written in Gilbert's handwriting 'Anne'

She smiled sitting up taking the envelope and rose in hand she firstly smelt the rose then opened the envelope.

She opened the card which again in Gilbert's handwriting read " Thank you for making me the happiest man ever, forever yours, love Gilbert."

She melted. He was so romantic! No, not in the dark melancholy languid or foreboding tones she would swoon at as a child, but in a Gilbert way which made her heart flutter! She bit her lip smiling and traced her fingers over the letters of his name. Today she was determined to be happy, it was about her and Gilbert the birthday of their happiness.

She looked up when the door to their bedroom opened and in came Gilbert through the door a tray in hands of food.

"I was hoping you would be awake by now. Good Morning beautiful." He told her.

"I've only just woken." She smiled. "I thought you had been called out."

" No not today. Uncle Dave offered for an anniversary gift to take all the calls." He smiled putting down the tray( she noticed another one of the roses on the tray) " today I am not Doctor Blythe, I hold a much more important title..." He said rounding the bed to sit next to her on the bed. " husband." He finished lying his feet on the bed sitting up against the headboard.

She smiled. " oh Gil!" they kissed gently. " my husband, I love you." She smiled at him. She reached down beside her in her draw and took out the wrapped gift

"I love you too." He said. She gave him the gift he smiled widely. " thank you." He said unwrapping it.

"I thought with paper being the first years anniversary gift.. well I could only buy you..,"

" books!" He exclaimed on seeing them "oh Anne! This is the new Jules Verne book! Ah in French, my weakness...at least I can brush up on my French reading skills! To be honest I was wanting to get these!" He said with a glint in his eyes. " you know me so well!" He kissed her " this is so thoughtful thank you!" He said opening the book.

" you're welcome." She said beaming at him. He was always so grateful for whatever he received. She wondered at him. How he was such a gentlemen all the time and yet self admitted to have been spoilt growing up? Was he being humble again? She reached over a stroked his cheek gazing on him.

" you better start to eat before it gets cold, I practically had to tackle Susan to use my own kitchen, she isn't half territorial." He chuckled " no wonder Marilla became so subdued when she came."

" you did this yourself?" Anne asked.

He nodded " being married to an only child had its advantages you know, I used to make mother her breakfast every mothers day and birthday (when I was home for it) since I was about eight. Some of them were raving successes some... not so much, but it did give me plenty of practice."

" so you could make breakfast in bed for your future wife?" Anne questioned.

" not directly but it did have the domino effect don't you think?" he smiled as she bit into the toast. " today Anne-girl is just for us, no one else." He paused " now I do have something planned for this evening so what would you like to do with the rest if the day?" he asked her.

She smiled " can we go for a picnic on the shore? Spend the day roaming our town?" she asked him.

" sounds wonderful." he said with a smile.

They spent the day firstly in town where Anne saw several bits of material, ribbons and odds and ends she liked all of which Gilbert bought her. Several patients of Gilbert passed their way (unavoidable really, Gilbert's practice seemed to be growing every day, his reputation as the best doctor around for miles made him quickly popular) and in two cases baby boys being named 'Gilbert' after the said doctor who had delivered them into the world. It was nice to meet a lot of people who spoke so highly of his capabilities and his goodness, Anne held his arm a little tighter in pride.

" oh Mrs Blythe!" one of the mothers said "I always heard nasty tales of how the doctors are mean in childbirth... I don't suppose they mean to be... but Doctor Blythe was most attentive and caring, he never once shouted.. he even encouraged my husband to be present at the birth to hold my hand to be there for me, such a modern notion but it made all the difference to me having him beside me."

Anne smiled sweetly. Yes, that sounded like Gilbert. She reflected back to Joy's birth, how he'd been the doctor and the husband, it must have been difficult for him to watch her go through it, and throughout he had such empathy! She had thought it had been a bond between them which made him behave like that in the birthing room, was it just because of his medical training?

They headed to sands of the shore and set up their picnic for much time the idly chattered about their shared memories and their very early days of marriage before they had discovered Anne's quick pregnancy. She brought it up first.

"I can't believe how quickly I fell pregnant. I never supposed it would happen quite so quickly."

Gilbert looked at her a little stunned, they had never talked about her pregnancy before. Their blissful anticipation of a tiny bundle arriving in their home. It was almost as if in their marriage there was a gap of nine months where they never had tread in their memories and upon finding themselves 9 months after a blank sheet of marriage, with only 6 weeks of marriage behind them all of a sudden they found themselves at the year mark.

" we can't go on pretending wasn't pregnant Gil. We had some lovely memories while I was pregnant, well nearly our first year of marriage! We shouldn't pretend the good times never happened. I want to remember our first year of marriage. For I married you."

" so do I." He admitted. " all I can think is..." he trailed. " that isn't fair, I shouldn't." He sighed.

" Gilbert its okay for you to talk about how it hurts you too. You don't need to be strong all the time."

" I know." He says. " it helps me to help you." He stroked her cheek.

" you sweet man." She told him. "I know what you think because I think the same. I'm glad we are healing from losing her together. But the happy times we had its difficult because Joy was there...oh she was wasn't she Gilbert?" she asked him.

He nodded gently " yes she was. That's what makes it so haunting really..." he sighed. "I tried so hard to give you ask those things I promised you. A happy home, one filled with laughter and music and book readings and friends... now I feel they are all wrapped in melancholy... the one thing we didn't want our home to be!"

" then we need to carry on then don't we? Perhaps we can start unwrapping the sadness together and find in there the happiness we felt.." She smiled "do you remember a few nights after we thought I was pregnant but hasn't told anyone yet when Leslie came for the first time and I said she was beautiful and you agreed? I wish you'd agreed a little less enthusiastically." She smiled at him.

" Anne Blythe! You know you are the most beautiful creature I have ever beheld! I was only agreeing..."

Anne laughed. " I asked you if you would like me better with Leslie's hair." She looked to him as she saw him recognise the memory.

"I wouldn't have your hair any colour but just what it is for the world." He quoted himself. She smiled as he leaned over the blanket and kissed into her hair lightly stroking it as he went, he quickly moved his lips round to her ear nipping it gently in his teeth.

"Gil!" she whispered, " we're in public! That's improper." She reprimanded him.

" there's no one here but us. And anyway..." he said continuing " isn't that part of the thrill, the potential of being caught" He whispered flirtingly kissing down her jaw line then finding and capturing her lips. He smiled kissing her then pulled gently away. " my queen Anne!" he declared. " with red hair, and don't forget why I love it so." He told her. "I love you."

"I love you Gil." She smiled despite herself. " what do you have planned this evening?" she asked him.

"oh I thought we deserved a fine dining night out. I've booked us a table at a recommended restaurant."

" spending more money on me... Gilbert Blythe!"

" I need to spoil you. Don't you know you are everything to me, and anyway my practice isn't doing too badly you know. We can afford these little pleasures."

" and the roses?" she asked after having left the bedroom that morning she found another ten roses scattered around the house giving her a bouquet of a dozen roses.

"I may not be up to the standard of Royal Garner yet." He quipped. "I have been known to be romantic you know."

She giggled " oh Gilbert Blythe, you have more romance in your little finger than he had in his whole body."

" say again?" he laughed in disbelief.

" oh he was all romance from a book..." She trailed, " but you are so much more real and tangible to love which supersedes any fancy I had dreamed up, look at all you do for me." She tells him stroking Gilbert's face " you are romantic."

They kissed in such a way they both quite forgot they were in public.

Late afternoon came where Gilbert came up to their bedroom with a large box in hand.

" what's that Gilbert?" Anne asked as he came through she was looking through her wardrobe for a gown to wear.

" this is another gift, for you." He said smiling putting it on the bed towards her. She looked dazed and confused at him. " Gil!"

" don't you dare reprimand me again for spoiling you, I need to, I need to spoil you at every opportunity, it's nice to do it every once in a while."

She shook her head and opened the box. " Gil!" she exclaimed as it came to eye the dress within.

"I thought you might like to wear it tonight." He said coming from behind and hugging into her.

" Gilbert where on earth did you get my measurements from?" she asked.

" Marilla." He said with pride. "I know you aren't up to full health quite yet but your clothes are almost fitting as they were, this way when you are better it'll still fit, plus a lot of the clothes we bought over the past year were maternity size, I thought it would help update your wardrobe." As she picked it up he let go to let her inspect his taste.

A trailing emerald green dress with a deep v neckline in a mock wrap round which pinched in at the waist. down the mocked wrap extending down the line of the dress it was embroidered with silver leaves and flowers to match the top underneath making a neckline modest with a grey silver sequences which extended down the arms to a three quarter length sleeve which had a small puff to them.

" your taste is flawless! Gilbert, how did YOU choose it?" she asked in amazement.

"I saw it and thought of you." He said simply. "I knew you must have it, it would fit in nicely with your others dresses I thought. The green and the grey reminded me of you."

She sighed romantically. " oh Gil!" she turned and hugged him. " thank you!" she exclaimed. " it's beautiful!" she looked at him " of course I'll wear it tonight!" she said with a smile and a kiss to him.

She came down in the dress with her hair plaited back finished in a low bun with the hair slides he had bought her the first Christmas they were together and the small locket he night her last Christmas the dress flirting with her own curves flowing down her body.

"Anne!" he gasped in awe, "you look beautiful!" admiring her.

She smiled shyly. " thank you." She told him with a rose tinted cheek.

"awww shy Anne again, I haven't seen her in a long while, I thought after the wedding night..." He said biting back his lip smiling holding her close and kissing her cheek. " may I escort you to dinner?"

They got home late that night, they lay in bed face to face side by side Gilbert wrapped his arms around his wife and snuggled her into his chest smoothing through her red hair. She held him as close and listened to his heart beat in her ear.

" thank you for today Gil." She said quietly.

" that's alright, pay back for putting up with me for a year." He teased.

She laughed " putting up with? You've been an angel."

He smiled into her. " you're one to talk."

She pulled back and they looked into each other's eyes " it's our anniversary." Anne whispered.

" yes I know." He whispered back.

" it's traditional for us to..." She trailed.

"I know." He said.

" we haven't since Joy..." She started.

" Anne." He stopped her. "I love you, I know you aren't ready yet to..." he trailed. "I love you more than I love... it." He whispered.

" but it's our anniversary." She said again.

He chuckled. " I'm not going to force us into something we aren't ready to start again. I love you and today wasn't about trying to get you to...I will be blissfully happy falling asleep just like this... it'll make it even more special when we are ready because tonight won't be tainted with trying when we weren't ready." He paused, " unless this is a really unromantic way of saying you are ready?" he teased.

"I wish I were." She said moping.

He smiled "I wish I were there too, it'll happen in time" He paused, "I love you. More than ever."

" more than at carrots?" she said with a smile.

" much more."

" more than at Lilly Maid?" she asked.

" more." He said again.

" more than giving me that school?" she asked.

" still way off."

" more than hesters garden?" she smiled.

" you're getting closer, still more."

She laughed. " more than our wedding day?"

" more than our wedding NIGHT." They laughed together. " more and more each day." He whispered.

" we're starting another year of marriage Gil. I'm so glad it's you." She said stroking his cheek and gazing on him. " let's start to remember the good times over the past year Gil, we've had some happy memories haven't we?"

He smiled with puppy sadness in his hazel eyes.

" let's start to unwrap the melancholy and find ourselves again, I love you Gilbert Blythe." She whispered.

He smiled and chuckled "I love you Anne Shirley." He said reaching for her lips.

" Anne who now?" she said laughing. " if Anne SHIRLEY were in bed with you, we'd be in serious trouble..!"

He laughed back. " Anne Anne Anne!" he " I'll never be used to you being my wife, I still burst with pride every time I think of you..." he paused catching her eye " but for the sake of propriety..." he said with a youthful glint in his eyes she hadn't seen since before he had Typhoid. "I love you Anne Blythe."

1 month later

Gilbert felt of late the house was void of a presence. Not the obvious little girl but something else. He had started to feel as though maybe babies were no longer out of the question, maybe trying again wouldn't be so bad. They had come a long way in unwrapping the melancholy in the house. It had its place and it was starting to obey their wishes to remain where it belonged. Gilbert could hardly believe it this night when Anne approached hi calling him by name, as he lay in bed she came close beside him and felt his bare chest beneath her hands holding him by his heart, she snuggled into him for a moment then he felt his heart rate increase and his pupils dilate as and bore herself before him and whispered His heart sir at the possibility as he looked in almost disbelief. "I miss you Gil, can't we try again?"


	8. Its the little things

**just some little insights to the first 3 months of Anne's second pregnancy oh just a word of warning a little racer than normal (sorry the hormones did it) just cover your eyes (hmmm may prove difficult!)**

Day 14

" don't we have pickles in the cupboard at home?" Gilbert asked her as they were out shopping.

" they don't replenish themselves you know... if we don't buy them we'll run out eventually." She told him. " don't you fancy some for lunch... we'll get a nice ham and cheese and crackers." She smiled.

" alright anything to make my queen Anne happy." He said smiling at her, she had only started to really look better the hollows in her cheeks were filling out again. She could have anything she wanted as long as she continued to get better.

Day 19

Finally free of her Doctors orders not to overdo it Anne decided to walk herself to town and back for the shopping list she had in hand. Gilbert was out at work and Susan was. Visiting her sister fur the day and wouldn't be back until tomorrow, no one would even know until she was back and proved she was okay to do it.

She purchased her items.

Potatoes - check

Gammon slices- check

Butter-check

Salt-check

Cheese-check

Cream-check

Eggs-check

Pleased with her purchases she took her basket and walked home, she put away her items and sat on the rocking chair in the corner. She would rest for just a moment then she could start to organise the pantry, it was starting to look a bit messy ' that's very unlike Susan." Anne thoughts drifted.

A kiss on the forehead woke her. " evening sleeping beauty," a whisper said.

" Gil." She said opening her eyes " you're home early." She told him not yet aware of her surrounding.

" early? Anne is nearly 8pm." He told her.

" Oh no I was going to have dinner made for you, I must have fallen asleep!" she exclaimed. " Gil I'm so sorry..."

"woe woe woe Anne." He said holding her gently to the chair. " you fell asleep?" he stated. " are you feeling okay, are you sick?" he asked starting to check over her.

" no dearest don't worry. I..." She trailed stopping him from making a fuss but then realised she had incriminated her behaviour.

" you...?" he asked.

"I may have walked to town and back today." She said waiting for the retribution from him.

" you what?" he exclaimed as only a husband doctor could

"I thought if I could just walk to town and back I could show you how much better I'm feeling." She counteracted

" Anne you aren't ready for such an exertion!" He worried.

" it seems my body agrees." She laughed. " Gilbert honestly I'm fine, I'm sorry, I'll ask for your medical opinion the next time I set foot out the house."

He chuckled. " no there's no need for that." He said his hand neck which dropped beside him. " come on let's make some dinner I'm sure between us we can whip something delicious up."

"I bought some gammon while I was in town." She said getting up.

" Oh very nice." He said placing a protective arm around her.

Day 24

" Anne are you sure you're alright?" Gilbert asked her worrying. " you've been dropping asleep at the drop of the hat lately." He said stroking over her hair.

" I've just been over doing the garden ready for the winter Gilbert. Honestly I've never been an idol soul and Susan takes control over... everything... I have nothing to do and I get bored, please don't worry I'm fine. And Susan will tell you I'm eating by the ton full and I'm not sick, just let my body get used to the exercise again."

He sighed. " alright then" he receded. " if you're sure that's all."

" I'm positive dear husband." She said with a smile. He started to leave. " can you pop into town on your way back and get some pickles in?" she asked.

" are we out again?" he asked casually leaving the room. " very well dearest, I love you." He called.

"I love you too, oh and cheese."

" you love cheese too?" he teased " well whatever tickles your fancy..."

" no Gil" she laughed, "buy some cheese, I love you and buy some cheese." She laughed again

" pickles and cheese. Got it!" He called

thank you."

Day 30

His eyes darken with desire as they stumbled into their bedroom closing the door behind them, he couldn't wait to get his hands on her! Oh he was the luckiest man alive! This was Anne! And right now she was on fire! He quickly grabbed her round the waist yanking off as many layers of clothing as he could as she unusually grabbed at his trousers at the same time his own clothes falling to the floor. He put his weight to pick her up as she leapt into his arms wrapping her legs around him. He carried her to bed leaving his trousers behind them, his shirt unbuttoned from their climb up the stairs her hands roaming under his vest her lips on his neck. He knelt them on the bed.

(Quite proudly as a doctor he'd been shown the quickest way to remove the corset, something which Anne realised a few days into marriage her brain still in tact to realise he had only a handful of experience and yet could remove a corset quite readily. She had looked at him confused "medical training" he had said.

"oh?!" she'd proclaimed in surprise, " what else did they teach you to do to young ladies?!" she'd proclaimed. " did you practice?" she'd grinned.

" only on dummies and actual patients."

"I suppose I can forgive you that." she'd quipped)

When he reached round and did it today he got a grin and "I love being married to a doctor!" she whispered in languid tones. He reached under her chemise and made his journey upwards to her bosom where when he reached she started to giggle.

" what what is it?" he asked red in lips

" sorry it tickles." She laughed.

" Oh okay..." he said pressing a little harder.

" Gil!" she practically shouted as if being tickled to death. She slapped away his hands.

He was confused. " I'm sorry I did it no different to nor..." he was silenced by her kiss.

He didn't get to finish his sentence.

Day 32

She climbed off him and wrapped herself in his legs. Keeping him as close a possible

" thank you darling that was wonderful." He whispered. "I think we've found our stride again." He kissed her hair as her hands roamed round his bare form.

" Oh Gil..." She whispered seductively.

" again?!" He exclaimed.

"hmmmm." She said kissing his ear.

" Anne ... I... just wait." He laughed.

Day 33

His eyes opened to see his wife as ever wrapped in his arms and legs face to face with him. He smiled as he remembered last night...

third times a charm! He thought to himself.

He slid out of her arms and reached for his pocket watch. 9am! Wow it's a wonder no one had called yet.

** ring ring** he heard downstairs. He rolled his eyes, well if you tempt fate like that... he slid carefully out of bed. He quietly got dressed careful not to wake his sleeping angel. He didn't want to wake her. He remembered back over the past couple of weeks, she had been more tired than usual, maybe a good sleep is just what she needed he didn't want those hollows coming back in her cheeks. Although the physical exertions over the past week or so couldn't be helping... but all she ever needed to do was gaze on him and he was hers!

He kissed her hair and whispered "I love you" even if she didn't consciously hear it her subconscious would.

He walked out the room telling himself "must resist Anne so she can get better" knowing fine well it would never work.

Day 39

Anne should be in high spirits. Diana had come to visit her.

" Oh I have so much to tell you of Avonlea!" Diana had chatted away, it was the first real time she had didn't with Anne for such a long time.

" so how is Gilbert?" she asked.

" busy, a lot. Poor Gil works TOO hard but then again always has. I don't think he knows anything different really. He has the best reputation for miles so is often gone sometimes he is here days at a time and others none at all."

" do you miss him?" Diana asked.

" yes of course how could I not. He is Gilbert Blythe. " she smiled.

" and you Anne? How is your recovery going? Is there any chance of pitter patter Blythe feet yet."

Anne laughed. " Oh no not yet. We only just decided we might try again soon" she admitted.

" well it's a step at least." Diana said. "I suppose this soon after that's all that really matters."

" yes I think so." Anne said, her forehead crunched.

" Anne are you well?" Diana asked.

" Oh just a headache I can't get rid of. I'll be fine I'll get Gilbert to give me something if it gets any worse."

Day 49

Another day off for Susan and Anne was elated. Not that she didn't love Susan in her own way, but she liked feeling like the lady of the house, SHE got to take care of home and house. Not that there was much to do, she reorganized the pantry how she liked it and in the oven was her chicken and vegetable pie, she hadn't made it in a while and she knew Gilbert liked it and she was snuggled down reading pride and prejudice. It was a pretty perfect day.

" I'm home early my love." He said coming through the door. "oh is that your pie I can smell." He asked.

" yes it is perfect timing." She said weeping at her book.

" why are you crying?" he asked.

" Oh Gil it's Mr Darcy and Elizabeth." She wiped away her tears.

" but Anne..." he laughed " you know how it ends."

" Oh what do you know?" she snapped. " just like a man." She quoted Miss Cornelia.

Okay He thought clearly been a bit TOO into the book. "I guess you want your dinner too." She mooded.

" it's okay I'll get it." He said dare not saying anything else.

" no it's fine." She snapped up and when into the kitchen.

He followed get through sitting at the table. She cut him some pie and gave him his plate.

" thank you dearest it looks wonderful" he said meekly. " aren't you having any?"

"Maybe a bit later... you know when you've cooked something and then you just don't want to eat, it's still only 5 maybe in an hour." She said picking up the pickle jar.

He took a bite. "oh." He said.

" what is it?" she asked.

" nothing is just bit more salt in then you normally put in." He paused in eating. " can I have a glass of water please?" he asked

She got the water then tried a piece of the pie herself. " it tastes the same to me." She told him.

" must just be me then." He mused a moment. Could she be? No that's ridiculous. It had only been 7 weeks since they said they would start trying again.. no one was THAT fertile!

Day 56

It had been a week since that musing, the shameful thing was that Gilbert hasn't really been around to follow up on the idea and had at least thought he had forgotten about it. They were walking by the shore hand in hand as they often did in the infrequent time they had together.

"I miss you." She told him.

"I miss you too my sweetheart" he told her.

" it's beautiful here isn't it?" she asked him.

He gazed on her " yes most beautiful." He said.

" reminds me of Avonlea." She said sadly. She felt tears coming down her face. He looked to her and worried. " Oh Anne, don't cry, come on we're not that far away, we can go and visit."

" it's been so long, don't you miss it?"

" of course I do sometimes. When I get the chance. I'm an old married doctor now I don't her the chance to miss my childhood home."

"old? Gilbert you are barely 29."

" middle aged."

" no no no that won't do." She said. " we shall live till you are 102 and I 100 and we can die in each other's arms, there, that gives you another 22 years before you are middle aged."

He smiled " if I were to end this mortal existence in your arms that would make me a very happy man indeed." He said. " no matter if it were to happen tomorrow or in 80 years time." He hugged her into him. She kissed him round his neck in such a way he knew what she was doing.

"" Anne... come on not here." He cautioned.

" do you not remember the winter before we married? ..." She paused smiling and kissing his ear "On a shore much like this one... " (kisses again) "A certain Gilbert Blythe had to be calmed down from wanting to." She went to his mouth this time "HE wanted Anne wherever he was." She smiled.

He chuckled " as do I, but as a certain Anne persuaded me not to, made me remember.." he stopped get kissing him by holding her face gently in his hands " it was neither the time nor place, in broad daylight Anne... what if someone saw?"

She huffed away " well if you're going to be like that!" she said taking herself our his arms and walking away angrily.

Gilbert's arms were still out in front of him as she walked away. His head dropped and he sighed" Anne, come on don't be like that." He called dropping his hands. Walking after her he called her name.

Day 60 

" evening my love." Gilbert said as he came through the door.

" hello dear please don't take this personally but I really need the little girls room!" she said dancing round him.

Susan looked and shook her head. " she's been doing that a lot lately."

The musing came back to him. Wait he had thought that before. 11 days ago. He needed to watch her and carefully.

Day 61

He was in his study doing paper work when Anne came through the door.

" Oh Gilbert! My letter is from Marilla, she wants to know if we would like to go to green gables for Christmas, oh can we? Can we love?" she asked him sitting on his knee wrapping her arms around his neck.

He smiled. " well that's splendid! You were just saying the other day how much you miss Avonlea. Of course we can!" He said

" Oh but what about work?" she asked him. " Oh that will shorten the trip." She said sadly.

" for me maybe." He acknowledged.

" what do you mean?" she asked.

"I could send you ahead for the holidays and i could come and join you later." He said.

Her eyes widened in excitement " Oh Gil!" she exclaimed. " are you sure?"

" well of course! We'd only be apart a few days and you'll be safe as safe with Marilla. Just make sure you make some time to visit my ma, she misses you terribly."

"oh of course I will! Oh thank you Gilbert! Thank you!" she exclaimed kissing him. "hmmmm" she murmured gently. She grasped his mouth further "errrmmmm."

He chuckled. " now?!" He asked. She raised her eyebrows stroking his chest. He tried to stand them up.

"no no no..." She smiled into him kissing his ear as she whispered " right here."

By which time he was not going to object.

Half an hour later.

"hmmmm" she murmured in his ear. " Gilbert Blythe, how do you do it?" she smiled. " that was..." She trailed.

"emmmm I know." He whispered back. " I'm one lucky man." He smiled kissing her again. "I must say sneaking under your skirts like that.."

" like no one else could see what we were actually doing if they walked in..." She giggled.

They kissed again.

" we should move." He whispered.

"I know I don't want to." She whispered.

" neither do I." He snuggled into the fabrics of her dress.

The phone rang both Anne and Gilbert sighed but didn't move from their present position. Gilbert leaned forward and answered the phone. " hello, Dr Blythe speaking."

Anne kissed into his spare ear knowing fine well what it was doing to him. He heard her breathe a giggle. ' heavens above Anne i have to be serious.' He thought as she trailed down his neck with her kisses. He really really didn't want to resist he realised as he was talking his voice was getting gruffer, which he tried to cough out. "hmmmm yes." He replied all he wanted to do was laugh. As She reached down his body flew up as he tried to control the cry "I... I... I'll be right there." He threw the phone back on its receiver " Anne that was wicked!" He cried kissing her again.

" you liked it!" she whispered in his ear.

He smiled " yes I did." He said. " it was you of course I liked it."

She stopped and looked at his sincerity. "awww Gil." She said kissing him gently. They held each other close then kissed one last time.

" come on let's freshen up then I need to go."

" can you drop me off in town?" she asked him. " we need more pickles."

His brow furrowed. Is that a craving? He thought. It would really explain why for the past two months she seemed to be eating them by the jar full... and her hormones... when he got back then he would approach her about it.

Day 62

Man alive he did needed some sleep. Five in the morning and he was sliding into bed next to Anne. She was lying on her back currently he lay his hand gently on her stomach so he wouldn't wake her. " are you in there baby Blythe?" he asked. "I would love you to be in there." He sleepily said. " be kind to mamma." He said.

He didn't bother rolling her onto her side for their normal sleeping position but positioned himself under her outspread arm snuggled into her side and kept his hand on her stomach protecting his wife and possible future offspring.

2 hours later

Anne awoke from her slumber to find Gilbert snuggled in hand on her stomach. She smiled, he hadn't snuggled like that since she was pregnant with Joy. She loved it when he had, it made her feel he was protecting her and Joy, those moments we so sacred. In her sleepy state she wanted to cry. He would make a wonderful father, and she had taken it off him. No, she thought we agreed not to think like that anymore. She would, she could give him a healthy child. If they could only time it from her last period... come to think of it, they hadn't really settled down since she had Joy. Was her last period over 2 months ago? She gasped.

She thought back.

Strange cravings... She had been eating a lot of pickles lately... and cheese...And salty, anything salty.

Tired.. extremely, exhausted in fact, but no sickness yet, that's what had prompted Gilbert the last time well that and...

Oh. She had been more excitable then usual... in fact any where any time... the idea of getting caught... much much more excitable...

Headaches... yes she had a few of them

Hormonal... extremely... even she thought she had treated Gilbert unfairly at times.

Her hand slid on top of his hand on her stomach. Did he suspect already?

He stirred as he felt her hand in his.

He stirred into her. Opening his eye. " hey?"

" sorry I didn't mean to wake you" she said softly.

" tis ok." He said sleepily. He looked to her then followed her gaze to her stomach. "Anne..." he said.

" am I?" she said playing with her stomach looking down as their fingers intertwined. " might there be..." She trailed half afraid he could say no.

He smiled in his half slept mind. " it's not impossible. You are showing early signs of..." She was shaking now. Her eyes filled with tears. He was awake enough to move up the bed letting her snuggle to his chest." Hey hey there." He kissed into her hair. " come on, it's not even for sure yet." He smiled feeling his own excitement on the subject rise.

" but you think? You think it?" she said.

He nodded lying back down as she turned on her side." I'll need to give you a physical to confirm.. the next month or so...out... no more..." he drifted. She watched him drift back into a sleep. She smiled watching him sleep, she didn't know at what hour he had came back, she would leave him to slumber, the physical could wait. Just a little longer... she lay back down, if she really was pregnant she didn't have to feel so bad about falling asleep quite so often.

2pm

It had been midday before either one if them awoke where in Anne had demanded the physical taking her clothes immediately off for him as soon add the weary waking had washed away. He had smiled at her boldness, he supposed it was an advantage to being married to a doctor... you weren't shy of a physical with them. He confirmed and reiterated he didn't know for sure yet, but if their calculations were right she was about 2 months pregnant meaning baby would be born in July. Wherein they vowed not to tell anyone until it was for sure... then in the heat of a celebrationary kiss, they could surely make it a definite thing... they came down the stairs dressed but very cuddly and close.

"I was starting to wonder if you two would stir." Susan said to them. " here have some food." She said pointing them in the direction of food. Anne wrinkled her nose, something was bothering her senses. The smell of the freshly cooked beef churned her stomach she left the kitchen almost as quickly as she went in. Gilbert smiled.

" is Mrs Doctor okay?" she asked.

" yes, most well." He smiled " Susan can I have the pickles too?" he asked going into the pantry and retrieving them, he grabbed himself and Anne a plate of food. "oh and hold the calls today will you? I just want to spend some time with Anne."

" as you wish." She said.

He walked into the parlour. " are you okay?" he sat next to her handing her the food he collected.

"urgh" she said picking up the beef and putting it on his plate. " don't make me eat that!" she whispered. He chuckled. Ah the food avoiding... what was it last time? Apples! She had been so upset she couldn't eat the preserved ones his mother sent, they were made from their strawberry apple trees. He handed her the pickle jar. "hmmmm oh my Prince!" she exclaimed seizing them "I knew I married you for a reason." She smiled. As his arm went around her hugging her in.

Day 84

" Oh Marilla!" she cried arriving at green gables. "oh Dora, Davey, Rachel!" she exclaimed, " Oh my dear dear green gables! Oh I've missed you all!" she said hugging them went.

" Anne! " Marilla exclaimed. " Oh you look as sick as a chip!" she exclaimed.

" Oh it's just the journey which has wearied me." She told her. " just get me a good night's sleep tonight I'll be fine." She cheered best she could.

" well I have your old room set up for both of you, your bed was quite large I thought you would both fit." She said.

" Oh yes we shall happily." Anne said walking in to the kitchen and taking a seat. " Gilbert said he's sorry he couldn't make it the whole time but he's so sort after and well known as the best doctor for miles round he felt he must stay to tie up loose ends before Christmas comes... but he'll drive up the night before Christmas eve and will stay until after new year."

" he seemed nervous of sending you early." Marilla commented.

" Oh he worries still I'm not fully well after June. But look I'm all better!" she exclaimed.

Day 90

She saw him walking over the horizon it reminded her of their friendship, their engagement and her excitement came at once.

" Gilbert!" she shouted, running down the field to greet him. He dropped his case and ran to her sweeping her in his arms and kissing at the same time " Oh I missed you!" she exclaimed.

"I missed you." He says softly. " you shouldn't be running like that Mrs Blythe." He told her in whispered tones

"oh couldn't help it." She told him. " it's you!" she smiled. " plus I think baby has missed daddy." She whispered.

" Well we can spend some time together tonight in bed if you like?" he smiled picking back up his case. " have you been okay?" he asked her.

"I felt exhausted on arrival, but I got a good nights sleep. I even managed to stomach some beef without becoming nauseous... but please don't make me do it again!" she laughed.

He chuckled gently with her. " have you been to see mother?" he asked.

" yes, and she's looking forward to seeing you on boxing day, she worries you are dying with every passing ' I'm just tired' you've given her."

" then I'll make sure to get plenty of sleep the next few nights." He smiled. " stop her worrying."

" we're in my old room." She smiled.

" Oh really?" Gilbert asked trying to seem nonchalant as possible.

"hmmmm." She said they glanced at each other flirtingly. "a few fantasies could be explored." She smiled. They reached the bottom step leading to the porch at green gables.

He turned and pulled her in to him, " I'll look forward to it then." He said quietly. They kissed gently.

" Oh Gilbert you're here!" Rachel exclaimed upon seeing him as she opened the door. " Oh just wait until we tell you ask the news of Avonlea!"

Day 102

"Morning Marilla" Gilbert greeted as he came into the kitchen.

" good morning Gilbert. How long have you both been awake?" Marilla asked.

" Oh Anne's still asleep I thought she would like a sleep in and breakfast in bed before we head off. " do you have any camomile tea?" he asked.

" in the pantry next to the sugar." She said. She looked to Gilbert. " is Anne alright Gilbert?" she asked him.

" Oh yes she's okay. What makes you ask?" he asked her.

" Oh just a couple of things, she seems to tire easily but when she's awake she seems to be..." She paused to look at his reaction " glowing."

He didn't give eye contact. "oh?" he said quietly.

" Gilbert?" she questioned sternly.

He looked up making eye contact. " has anyone else noticed?" he asked.

" no, not that they've mentioned." She reached for his hand. " does this mean...?" she trailed.

He couldn't help but smile " we think so."

She moved round the table and hugged him which he immediately returned " Oh blessed be!" she exclaimed. " why are you not shouting it from the roof tops?" she said pulling away

" we just want to be sure, it's early days still." He said.

" how far along?" she questioned.

" we think 12 weeks." He smiled. " she has the tiniest of bumps on her tummy... Oh you have no idea how good it feels to tell someone!"

" so the tea?" she quizzed.

" Is to settle her stomach."

" has she been sick a lot?" she asked.

" no but very sleepy and nauseous." He paused. " you won't tell anyone you know?" he asked.

" not until you say so of course." She smiled. She placed the toast on the tray.

"I'll let Anne know you know." He said quietly. He took the tray and carried it up to a sleeping Anne.


	9. You mothers!

Both of them had realised just how unprepared they had been for Joyce. Not a single baby rearing book had been purchased, not a single piece of research had been done. Now in the fourth month, Gilbert was in town and had been looking for his own research purposes a book published. _The Principles and Practice of Medicine: Designed for the Use of Practitioners and Students of Medicine_. When he had stumbled upon "Practical Child Training" and several other child rearing and pregnancy books the most useful of which he had purchased. He had struggled to carry them all, perhaps he was a little over excited as he saw his wife's mouth drop at the sheer volumes of books he had

"Gilbert Blythe!" She exclaimed "what did you do?"

He picked out a pregnancy one he had picked out.

"I want you to tell me if there is a single variation from this." He told her sternly. "Anything... anything at all."

"Gil..." She trailed.

"Please Anne, I want you safe, I want our baby safe, I'm not taking any risks this time. I let you do too much last time, I let you get away with far too much... well we have Susan this time and we can read all these books... study and KNOW what we need to do this time."

"But you are a doctor, everything you don't know isn't with knowing on the subject." She said.

"My specialty is surgery, I'm not an obstetrician, I know enough for giving birth and I plan on lots of practice... but..."

"You can't protect me forever." Anne said as he took her in his arms.

"I can try." He whispered gently. He kissed her romantically swept her of her feet taking her in bridal carry to the bedroom.

Anne was sitting up in bed reading "Gilbert dear listen to this ' **How can a mother reasonably expect her child to learn correct speech, when she continually accustoms its impressionable gray matter to such absurd expressions and distortions of our noble tongue as thoughtless mothers inflict every day on the helpless creatures committed to their care? Can a child who is constantly called `tweet itty wee singie' ever attain to any proper conception of his own being and possibilities and destiny?'"** She raised her nose in respect to the words she had poured over.

Gilbert's eyebrow raised and bottom lip proceeded slightly in thought as nodded his head once in agreement. "It makes logical sense. The English language is clear enough in itself. We don't need additional vocabulary for the baby to sort to in order to find their voice." He sat up next to Anne in the bed.

"Well I suppose that does it." Anne said. "I shall never be flexible in it Gilbert, Never, never shall I speak 'baby talk' to our children. They may master the English language better than you and I put together." She smiled.

"Very well my dear. Then I concur." he went to her stomach and held it in his hand. "Did you hear that Baby Blythe, no baby talk." He kissed her stomach. "Mind you I can't imagine Sir Oracle agreeing with talking with you through the stomach either."

"Oh but we know that makes a difference, he loves hearing his papa." Anne smiled. "no this makes sense though doesn't is?"

" **Isn't him ze darlingest itty sing," crooned Anne, hanging over the arm of her chair adoringly. "Dem itty wee pads are ze very tweetest handies in ze whole big world, isn't dey, you darling itty man."**

Gilbert laughed. "Anne Blythe!" He scorned. "Sir Oracle would be ashamed of such language. What did you say 'I shall never be flexible' and you've scandalously broken it since the day he was born!"

" **He never had any children of his own, Gilbert-I am positive he hadn't or he would never have written such rubbish. You just can't help talking baby talk to a baby. It comes natural-and it's right. It would be inhuman to talk to those tiny, soft, velvety little creatures as we do to great big boys and girls. Babies want love and cuddling and all the sweet baby talk they can get, and Little Jem is going to have it, bless his dear itty heartums."**

"But you're the worst I ever heard, Anne," protested Gilbert, ... "I never heard anything like the way you talk to that child."

" **Very likely you never did. Go away-go away. Didn't I bring up three pairs of Hammond twins before I was eleven? You and Sir Oracle are nothing but cold-blooded theorists. Gilbert, just look at him! He's smiling at me-he knows what we're talking about. And oo dest agwees wif evy word muzzer says, don't oo, angel-lover?"**

 **Gilbert smiled widly put his arm about them. "Oh you mothers!" he said. "You mothers! God knew what He was about when He made you."**

Needless to say Gilbert started baby talk from that point onwards, not as much as Anne, he also fed that book to the fire.


	10. Know your own strength!

Anne stirred from her sleep and reached over to Gilbert's side of the bed, upon finding the flat mattress she was disorientated.

Still not home she thought to herself. She should be used to it by now. She would never be used to not having Gilbert there to wake up to, she was grateful really, Gil was known far and wide as the best doctor in the Glen, so he was often whisked off to consultations. And his cutting edge knowledge of surgery was admired by many, more than once he had been offered work in hospitals as a surgeon, he had refused each one preferring to work with real people. All of this meant he provided very well for her and now little Jem, able and ready to put money down for everything a baby world ever need. Often coming home with "i was just passing by and I saw this..." presents from daddy.

She heard the baby stir in the next room. She slowly made her way out of bed.

Jem was now 16 weeks old. He only wanted one feed in the night. This had concerned Gilbert at first, worried the baby couldn't be putting on weight fast enough if he only had one feed in the night, but the rest of the day the little baby suckled on his mother's breast like it was the elixir of life when he had checked with others mothers, it didn't concern them and his own had assured him he had been the same loved his milk but loved sleeping more, then once weighed he had sighed relief when the babe had put on 2ozs putting his mind at ease. " you depend too much in those books Gilbert" his mother had reprimanded him when she had come to visit to meet the baby. " not all babies are textbook. Trust your instinct more." She told him.

Anne came to the door frame of Jem's nursery to find her husband had beaten her to the job, the boy lay in his hushing father's arms looking up at his father with a reflection of hazel eyes playing with his fathers own. A pile of red curly hair now say atop the babe's head, she still held a grudge against her own red hair but the colour belonged to Jem, he couldn't have another colour hair. She watched Gilbert sit in the rocking chair and hold the babe to his chest as he gently started to sing to the baby

" lullaby and goodnight with roses bedight,

With lilies o'er spread is my baby's wee head

Lay thee down now and rest, May thy slumber be blessed

Lay thee down now and rest, May thy slumber be blessed"*(Brahams lullaby)

The baby hushed in his arms. Anne smiled as she saw the features on her husband's face relax as his eyes closed. She was still amazed at the man she had chosen, he was a wonderful father! Such a gentle soul to bring up their children. Anne crossed the room and stroked Gilbert's face, he jumped a little on contact but opened his eyes and saw his wife he smiled sleepily.

"I thought I got to him before you would wake." He whispered.

"I woke up before he stirred." Anne whispered. " when did you get home?" she asked.

Gilbert stood up and lay his son back in the cot " about half an hour ago. Thank you for dinner, it was delicious." He led Anne back to their room.

" how do you know it was me?" she asked.

"I can always tell if you made it, I'm right aren't I?" he asked.

" yes." She smiled. Getting back into bed this time her husband held her in his arms. She looked up at him as he started to relax. " Gil?" she probed. " are you awake enough to talk for a few minutes?." She whispered.

She heard a small sigh come from him. "I can make myself if my wife thinks it so important that it can't wait until morning."

"I think I must Gil, least the opportunity is lost and you are kept in the dark too long." She whispered back.

He opened his eyes and looked at her concerned. " is everything alright my sweet? What is weighing so on your mind you feel you must share it in the dead of night?"

She took a breath. " well I went to an appointment today."

" an appointment?" he queried.

"mmm." She murmured. " with your uncle." She said.

Gilbert shot up " Anne are you sick?... Oh heavens Anne I'm so sorry have i been too busy to notice your health deteriorate? ...What's wrong tell me I can make it better?!"

Anne smiled. " my appointment was to confirm something which I have suspected for a while. Know husband you haven't neglected me. In fact it is your utmost attention which has led to my current condition."

Gilbert's brows furrowed trying to work riddle his wife had just given him. " my attention?" he asked.

Anne smiled with a flirty look in her eyes " yes dearest, ALL your attention."

Attention... condition? " are you...? No that can't be right."

Anne bit her lip back to try and hide the laugh. " yes Gil, yes."

Gilbert's mouth dropped. " how far along?"

"ten weeks." She told him.

" but that dates back to..." He trailed. The first time after Jem was born. They had been quicker in getting back to being intimate with Jem, they assumed it was normal. But they had been slow in getting back to being intimate regularly, he was so busy she had often been asleep when he came back from work and still asleep when he had gone out he thought he could count on his hands how many times since...

Anne smiled. " it appears my dear, that we are very fertile. Perhaps we should start restricting ourselves to baby making afterall? Until after I am with child again?" she laughed.

" Anne no? Tell me you are in jest?" he said astonished.

" you appear not to know your own strength Gilbert Blythe. Ask your uncle he confirmed it for me."

" why did you not come to me?" Gilbert asked.

"I didn't want to seem foolish if I were wrong in front of you, with Joy and Jem you knew before I did, I doubted because you hadn't noticed.. but then I wanted to eat scrambled eggs for every meal, I found myself nesting again and I've been sick most mornings than not, I felt I must do something." She admitted. " dearest are you not happy?" she asked concerned.

" happy?" Gilbert said his heart pounding in his ears. " doesn't start to cover it!" He reached under the covers and held her stomach. " you'll start to show soon." His face widened to a smile. She could feel his hands shaking on her stomach. " Anne! Oh Anne! This is wonderful! Anne!" He found his way to his wife's lips kissing her passionately as he lay her on the bed gently. " well..." He concluded between kisses "I suppose..." He smiled into her... "I can't get you pregnant again!."


	11. Farewell to the little house of dreams

**You can thank a sleepless night for this chapter. A lot of it is in house of dreams. Again I mean no copyright infringement but it's difficult not to repeat if you are giving it from another persons perspective and it's close to the text.**

Gilbert had been mulling. He had been for the past two weeks. So much had happened since Anne had revealed they were expecting another wee child. Captain James had passed away and a weight weighed heavily on Gilbert's mind.

Their wee house of dreams. Yes it had been. His dreams were coming true . So many of them had already been fulfilled there! **"I have a dream," he said slowly. "I persist in dreaming it, although it has often seemed to me that it could never come true. I dream of a home with a hearth-fire in it, a cat and dog, the footsteps of friends—and YOU!** " Oh of Anne! Yes every dream had revolved around her! He took a deep breath as he realised again Anne was now at the end of her first trimester with THEIR third child! He remembered how tormented he had been when he stood before he sharing that dream with her then all at once when she had looked at him, how he knew it might be possible! How it, and many others like it.. his dreams were now within possibility!

He had felt almost obliged to listen to every fantasy of Anne's and impossible as it might have seemed when he had revealed the description of the house to her he has proved his attentiveness to every detail (for they were all his own dreams too) when she had said to him

" **this house you have found IS my house of dreams and none other."**

Then that far off look in her eyes as she clasped her eyes on their little home for the first time! Oh she looked just so... perfect!

It had been filled with, joy and sorrow, birth and death, loss and (lastly, but never least) so much LOVE! He had felt on several occasions this for small walls would surely cave under the home filled with such love! It seemed cruel to be pulling Anne away from it now, his romantic side wanted to stay here forever, but it was impractical.

When people came to stay little Jem was heaved from his nursery (for that was the guest room also) and Gilbert knew little boys liked their space, not to mention now Anne was expecting again, where would they lay this little ones head to rest?

Not to mention it was so out of the way for a doctor. Upon renting the place he had been without the care his practice, his only thought was to please their romantic fantasies. Not that his priorities had changed, no he would always be a romantic fool when it came to a certain red head, but he must be the practical one. He approached Anne softly about it knowing it would devastate her (for he was too, however he didn't have pregnancy hormones raging through him)

 **"The old Morgan place up at the Glen is for sale," said Gilbert, apropos of nothing in especial.**

 **"Is it?" asked Anne indifferently.**

 **"Yes. Now that Mr. Morgan has gone, Mrs. Morgan wants to go to live with her children in Vancouver. She will sell cheaply, for a big place like that in a small village like the Glen will not be very easy to dispose of."**

 **"Well, it's certainly a beautiful place, so it is likely she will find a purchaser," said Anne, absently,**

 **"Suppose we buy it, Anne?" remarked Gilbert quietly.**

 **Anne dropped her sewing and stared at him. "You're not in earnest, Gilbert?"**

 **"Indeed I am, dear."**

 **"And leave this darling spot—our house of dreams?" said Anne incredulously. "Oh, Gilbert, it's—it's unthinkable!"**

 **"Listen patiently to me, dear. I know just how you feel about it. I feel the same. But we've always known we would have to move some day."**

 **"Oh, but not so soon, Gilbert—not just yet."**

 **"We may never get such a chance again. If we don't buy the Morgan place someone else will—and there is no other house in the Glen we would care to have, and no other really good site on which to build. This little house is—well, it is and has been what no other house can ever be to us, I admit, but you know it is out-of-the-way down here for a doctor. We have felt the inconvenience, though we've made the best of it. And it's a tight fit for us now. Perhaps, in a few years, when Jem wants a room of his own, it will be entirely too small."**

 **"Oh, I know—I know," said Anne, tears filling her eyes. "I know all that can be said against it, but I love it so—and it's so beautiful here."**

 **"You would find it very lonely here after Leslie goes—and Captain Jim has gone too. The Morgan place is beautiful, and in time we would love it. You know you have always admired it, Anne."**

 **"Oh, yes, but—but—this has all seemed to come up so suddenly, Gilbert. I'm dizzy. Ten minutes ago I had no thought of leaving this dear spot. I was planning what I meant to do for it in the spring—what I meant to do in the garden. And if we leave this place who will get it? It IS out-of-the-way, so it's likely some poor, shiftless, wandering family will rent it—and over-run it—and oh, that would be desecration. It would hurt me horribly."**

 **"I know. But we cannot sacrifice our own interests to such considerations, Anne-girl. The Morgan place will suit us in every essential particular—we really can't afford to miss such a chance. Think of that big lawn with those magnificent old trees; and of that splendid hardwood grove behind it—twelve acres of it. What a play place for our children! There's a fine orchard, too, and you've always admired that high brick wall around the garden with the door in it—you've thought it was so like a story-book garden. And there is almost as fine a view of the harbor and the dunes from the Morgan place as from here."**

 **"You can't see the lighthouse star from it."**

 **"Yes, You can see it from the attic window. THERE'S another advantage, Anne-girl—you love big garrets."**

 **"There's no brook in the garden."**

 **"Well, no, but there is one running through the maple grove into the Glen pond. And the pond itself isn't far away. You'll be able to fancy you have your own Lake of Shining Waters again."**

 **"Well, don't say anything more about it just now, Gilbert. Give me time to think—to get used to the idea."**

 **"All right. There is no great hurry, of course. Only—if we decide to buy, it would be well to be moved in and settled before winter." Gilbert went out.**

Give her time he thought to himself, she'll come round.

It was only a few days later when she had approached him while he was in his study. " if we were to buy the Morgan place..." She started. " do we have enough?" she asked him.

" you shouldn't worry so on these things Anne, I've never seen us go without have I? But we'll have enough and some to spare my dear, enough as well to save some."

" even with the extra mouth?" Anne had asked.

He smiled. " look here, I've done the sums." He said handing her a sheet of paper he had drafted upon even before he had approached her on the subject. " tell me if I haven't taken something into consideration dearest, I would hate to get there and realise I had missed something important to us."

Anne came round and sat in his knee he watched her as she studied the paper. He bit his lip holding back a grin. He had forgotten just how beautiful she was when she was studying something. Really studying something. He remembered how at school he had watched her from afar some days working on something, her concentration undeterred from his stare! He had never had any problems in getting the girls to look at him, no not one, except her. The thrill he had felt when they were engaged and she couldn't take her eyes off HIM! FINALLY ANNE SHIRLEY WAS LOOKING AT HIM! The same thrill now rippled through his bones.

" No," she finally conceded " you've not missed out one thing. You've even accounted for new baby things where I'm sure Jem's can be reused by another little one, even a girl would be in baby gowns for a while. You've given more attention to detail than I would."

" you seem disappointed in me , are you sure there is nothing I have missed?" he asked.

" no, my disappointment lays in your accuracy, if you had missed something..." She said a smile playing on her lips " we might have had no choice but to stay."

They laughed as they moved in closer together. She settling back in his arms " then I apologise for paying too much attention to detail. There will that do?" he laughed.

" absolutely not." She laughed.

" Well I'll have to think of a more creative way to pay attention by way of apology then" He said flirting in her ear. " what do you think of THAT Mrs Blythe?"

She laughed sweetly. " aren't we suppose to be an old married couple now? I'm sure were not meant to carry on as we do."

" that depends." He told her.

"on?" she asked.

" on whether we want to." He flirted. They leaned in for a kiss. Their kisses filled with the experience from the past 2 years. It hardly seemed possible to Gilbert baby three was nestling in Anne's womb.

Anne! The mother of his children! Another dream fulfilled! He was spoilt! Completely and utterly spoilt! He didn't know what he had done to deserve such happiness. He supposed really, it was because he had known such sorrow.

He had known the way his heart had crushed when she had said no to him, the way it stabbed when she said she could never love him. The way it had ached seeing her go about with Gardner. Little by little his soul being tortured, as they grew closer he became more withdrawn. He hasn't cared, nothing mattered to him anymore, Anne could never love him. Food lost it's flavour, life lost its zest. He went through h the motions of living but by convocation even he had noticed the three inches lost round his waist, the way his shirts now hung from him which had once clung to edges of his muscles. He was noticeably thinner. Yes thin, the farm boy gradually lost himself. He didn't know who he was any more. He wasn't even sure the Cooper prize was worth the fight. He wanted to curl up in a corner and die, he almost did.

When he had started to go to green gables again, it all fell back into place. His dreams, his fantasies. His Anne! That was when he felt the joy. He built himself back to who he had been and by the Christmas his shirts were almost fitting him as they once would.

In sorrow Anne had born their first child. They named her Joy but in truth he had felt such sorrow! Those old feelings of despair had entered his soul again as they had buried their little Joy. But now, where he had yielded to the dark power of sadness, he couldn't let himself do it for Anne. Anne his beautiful wonderful wife! Oh her life had been so sorrowful and he had promised himself never to be the cause of her sorrow, and for those few days they were apart, he felt he had been! Marilla had brought him from the precipice but Anne had healed his soul. Then when he held his precious son in his arms a little than a year later, there had been the joy!

" i suppose..." She said pulling back. Looking him in the eye " we need to be practical."

" I'm sorry Anne, you know what this place means to me, you must know it."

"I do know it Gil. My heart just broke a little the other day. I'm sorry."

" does this mean you want me to start the paperwork for it?" he asked her.

" yes dearest let's be practical about it." She pulled sternly.

" well even in the most practical mind there's always room for a little romance." He flirted.

" Oh yes?" she responded.

Anne and Gilbert were alone in it to say farewell. The sunset light streamed in through the curtainless windows. It looked so strange stripped bare. Yet these walls! He blinked back the memory, how he had carefully picked out their house of dreams. His hearth fire, her little stream. His study, her lighthouse. Their trees! Oh dryads! It reminded him if pixies orchard their haven, their dream! He stood in what was their bedroom. They had discovered each other there. They had loved and lost and cried tears of sorrow and joy. The ghost of his own self scoffed at him for leaving his haven, he had found home here. For he had been with Anne.

He walked down stairs for the last time meeting Anne in the tiny parlour where they had sat snuggled by the hearth fire reading Tennyson by moon and fire light. He put his arm round her shoulders and smoothed his hand down her back.

"I **t has all such a heart-broken, reproachful look, hasn't it?" said Anne. "Oh, I shall be so homesick at the Glen tonight!"**

" **We have been very happy here, haven't we, Anne-girl?" said Gilbert, his voice full of feeling.**

Anne choked, unable to answer. He went ahead leaving her the chance to say goodbye. He waited for her at the fir-tree gate looking back at his dream . A new dream lay ahead one of lots of rooms and room to grow, Anne was sentimental, much more than he. It was one of the reasons he loves her. So he could comfort her.

He saw ahead a dream of marigolds and roses, cherry trees and maybe a herb garden. Of his little Jem leading his future brothers and sisters in play around the garden. Climbing the Apple tree, finding their own dryads. The life which would run through their home! The noise! What a dream!

But tonight was to mourn the loss of their old dream she saw her approach closing the door behind her. **The lighthouse star was gleaming northward. The little garden, where only marigolds still bloomed, was already hooding itself in shadows.**

Anne knelt down and kissed the worn old step which they had crossed as a newly married couple.

 **"Good-bye, dear little house of dreams,** " she said. He put his arm around her and wordlessly and gently led his wife away.


	12. Early years Ingleside

Anne smiled at her little boy. Now just over six months old her stomach bearing a baby of about that gestational age. Yes he had similarities to her his curly red hair his perfect nose (not that Gilbert didn't have a lovely nose) but she looked at him and saw Gilbert. His beautiful hazel eyes and humorous mouth. As she fed him he reached up with his tiny two hands, Anne rolled her eyes knowing what he wanted. She let her hair down and casted it over her shoulder. He was tired he reached for the red softness in front of him grabbed the end and weaved his tiny fingers through his mothers hair pulling it gently. She was certain behind his spritely eyes was his father's call of 'carrots' when not feeding his mouth would twist teasingly as his father's did that first day. Instead of hating it, she loved that little smile, how could she not love it. A Blythe smile. Yes that was it! She loved her baby boy, when she looked in his eyes she saw Gilbert and was able to miss him less because he had left a part of him with her.

Her last two pregnancies were physically exhausting! She didn't know fully if it was because she had a wee one to take care of so she knew she couldn't fall asleep like she had, or whether she wasn't as tired as she had been the previous two pregnancies but she FELT this child within her was akin to her! She didn't know how. Jem already seemed a sturdy little chap always looked at her with an air of disbelief (that look Gilbert and once his mother had given as to not quite belief) as if he needed to know for himself how things worked. She supposed this is why at the six months he was he could easily sit up bedside her without support and was already rolling over on the floor, and he studied the world. People and places he loved the forward facing pram and would sit forward in it watching the world and works refuse to nap no matter how tired he was until they had returned back to the house.

When Jem did go down for a nap she would try to nap but the little one within didn't let her fall to sleep without having read a poet or two! And just like with Jem and Joyce before him Gilbert often came in on an evening and read through Anne's rounded stomach Tennyson and Keats Shakespeare and Chaucer and Anne felt as though she could FEEL this baby listening.

They had been settled in ' the old Morgan house' for almost three months now, and still hasn't settled in a name for it, Anne KNEW it couldn't be called ' the old Morgan place' forever but hadn't found it in her heart yet to call it home yet and therefore a name was never forthcoming. It's not that she wasn't happy here, but the call of her little house of dreams came too often for her to form a real attachment to the place! So much had happened in her little house of dreams.

Her husband's reassurances on the wedding night, her first experience as Mrs Anne Blythe! Her baby Joyce, the joy the sorrow, the reconciliation with her husband, their rediscovery of each other and love and joy! And at long last parenthood, the joy on Gilbert's face as he held his beautiful boy for the first time! Those first goo's and gargles from their child, discovering more then once her tired husband beating her to comfort their little boy in the night, like he couldn't wait to hold his child! And finding again they were expecting another babe! How could this place as lovely as it was in her house of dreams? Although there was one small thing she loved was that maple grove with her brook running through it. There she found the bubbling brook so lovely to listen to.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Gilbert coming though the door.

" darling!" She said with a surprise. " you're home early."

He smiled "I wish people would learn the difference between an smallpox and an allergic reaction. It would make my life so much easier." He say if with a chuckle, "never mind all is well and I'm a God send for saving little Tim's life." He said smiling putting down his bag taking off his coat and kissing the back of his son's curls and his wife's lips before he sat beside her and kissed her stomach, then relaxed back putting his arm around Anne. " Mrs James is nothing more then lonely but insists on paying the call out fee plus one of her casseroles." He paused " and Mr Wright is in no more danger as I am of having a heart attack he had a simple case of heartburn."

" ah what would the folk of the Glen do without you." Anne smiled. " I'm sure even the surgical doctors in a hospital get days like these."

Gilbert smiled. "I think I would prefer a hundred todays and serve my community then be away from you and my babies." He said with a proud grin. He looked at his son " you shouldn't give him your hair Anne." He said with a chuckle.

"I swear behind those eyes he's calling me ' carrots' he has your look about him, how could I refuse a Blythe my hair?"

Gilbert looked to her long red hair and remembered with great clarity the day she spoke of which moulded their early relationship. " you've gone soft." He said playing with the strands closest to him.

Anne laughed "I fell in love with a Blythe, how can I say no to those beauty-whotty eyes, so adorable!" She said looking to get son who half cooed in her breast before starting to close his eyes sucking on his mother again.

A smile tugged on Gilbert's lips ' she fell in love... with a Blythe... with me!' He reminded himself before he took a breath. "I had time to drop by the post office, I had some interesting mail." He started tentatively.

" Oh?" Anne asked him.

"erm. Do you remember my paper in medical school I wrote on typhoid?" he asked her. She nodded her head in acknowledgment. " a doctor who is developing a vaccine for typhoid came across it while he was researching it and would like to use some of my research, it would be acknowledged of course as mine and wanted to come to meet in Montreal to discuss my findings and collaborate on what he could use."

Anne looked at him, " why Gilbert Blythe you're getting noticed!" She exclaimed. " well that sounds wonderful!" She said with a wide smile.

" good, I'm glad you think so, his paper is likely to be published in the British medical journal." He informed her.

" well I'm glad we made a subscription all those years ago now!" She said smiling.

His smile widen further. " he said he was really very impressed with my work, he was surprised when he found it was a research paper for a medical student, and is looking forward to meeting me, it's quite an honour for him to say he's quite dominate in his field, and this one isn't even my specialised field." He said shyly.

Anne looked to him " he won't be disappointed if that's what's worrying you." She looked to him the familiar look of inferiority in the his eyes. " so when will you be going to Montreal?"

"I was wondering if you would like to come too, I know it's a long journey but you have a doctor with you so you'll be in no immediate danger and we can leave a few days early to break up the journey. we can have a little time together as a family. I think Jem will enjoy the journey don't you?"

Anne smiled " what a sweet thought, I'd love to come. I can certainly keep him occupied while you have your meetings for a day or two."

" yes that's all it would be, I'll feel better knowing you are just there then I won't need to worry."

3 months later there they saw it. Credited name dropping in the British medical journal! Doctor Gilbert Blythe! Diana even wrote of her excitement and she had shown half of Avonlea who immediately remembered how they had ALL been best of chums with the Blythe's and how they ALL loved Anne and Gilbert as their own! Anne, Gilbert and Jem had gone in one of their long walks when Anne stopped suddenly.

" Oh Gil!" She exclaimed " my waters!"

" ok let's get you home." He said sweeping Jem in his arms and putting him on his shoulders before turning to Anne to help her. " you'll be uncomfortable until we get home I'm afraid." He said helping her.

She smiled tentatively " Gilbert our baby is coming!"

"I know sweetheart!" he said with a wide grin before he kissed her. "come on homebound!"

3 hours later Gilbert held his new born son.

"its the most extraordinary thing!" He said looking into the eyes of his new son as he was cradled by his mother. " every other baby who I deliver all are born, they wail a little then go off to sleep, but all of ours so far even our little Joy have stayed awake and alert, like they are born ready to learn from the first moments of consciousness, I do so love it, I find it fascinating!" He said with a broad smile.

" isn't he the sweetest babe you've ever seen! Look at his hands aren't they so perfect! Oh Gilbert he's so handsome already, don't you think? Why look at all this dark hair not a strand of red to be found !"

" mores the pity." Gilbert laughed, " he has dark grey eyes I've never seen such eyes before." He admitted. " he doesn't look a bit like me," he pondered.

" nor I," Anne thought out loud.

" but he's ours!" Gilbert exclaimed. " do you still want the same name for him?"

" Oh yes, yes Gilbert don't you think it suits him?" she said with a smile.

" hello Walter Cuthbert Blythe." Gilbert said softly to his son

" Oh Gil go and get Jem! I want to be awake to see him meet his brother!"

" Anne you should rest." He warned her.

" Oh I will after this please Gil?" she asked of him.

Gilbert gave way and went and got Jem who had been downstairs with Susan. On arriving Gilbert sat on the bed with Jem while Anne spoke in gentle tones to him.

" Jem, I want you to meet your baby brother, this is Walter." Anne explained.

" Walder." Jem burst.

Anne and Gilbert looked in shock at their almost ten month old son " what did you just say?" Anne asked him.

Jem had been prone to mama and Dada and 'up' meaning cup for his drink but no real words had came yet.

Jem looked at his mother then pointed at the baby. "baba Walder." He clarified.

" yes Walter." Gilbert said astonished.

At this Jem wiggled out his fathers arms sat next to Anne and reached across the baby and planted a kiss on his head. "awww ba ba ba." He said hugging his brother.

Both Anne and Gilbert felt their heart stings being pulled.

Three months later Anne was playing with Jem as Walter slept in the baby chair just across the room from them. Anne on the floor playing with her son trying to extend his sound range. Walter started to cry Anne started to get up but before she even did Jem stood on his own two feet and as if he had done it all his life walked over to his brother. Anne found she was frozen to the spot as she watched in pride! Her little boy just walked! And walked to his brother! Jem now found cooing over his brother speaking babble to him which immediately calmed the younger child.

" Jem you walked!" She said in utter amazement! " you walked! You clever boy!" She exclaimed.

Anne and Gilbert had put the babies to bed Jem had refused to be away from his brother so much so he wouldn't sleep without the baby in the cot beside him. Anne and Gilbert snuggled by the fireside Gilbert reading to Anne something they had enjoyed since being newly weds.

" do you fancy sleeping down here tonight?" Gilbert asked her. " I'm so comfortable cozy and warm, I don't think I want to go up.I just want to stay here by the fireside."

" despite it being a big house it is very cosy, isn't it?" Anne said out loud. Her eyes widen.

" Anne? Are you okay?" he asked.

"ingle!" She exclaimed.

Gilbert looked at her confused a moment. " I'm afraid you've lost me Anne, I need more information."

" Gilbert our home! It's warm it's cozy like a fireside." She exclaimed.

His mouth opened in acknowledgment " as in ingle, yes okay. I'm with you now."

" no you're not Gilbert our HOME!" She said excitingly.

He realised " home? You're calling it home! Anne are you saying..,"

" that's its name! Or it should be Ingleside! Oh don't you think it's perfect?"

"a description of it, Anne it's a lovely name! I couldn't have put it better myself!"

" Oh Gilbert, I have such fond memories here now, our little Walter being born, our little Jem talking and cooing over his brother and today, today dearest he walked actually got up and walked across the room to comfort Walter!"

Gilbert smiled in astonishment. " that's my boy!" He said proudly.

" but Gilbert, I don't long for our little house of dreams as I once did, it's not the walls which make a home, it's our family. And all those memories are still in me! Oh Gilbert! I'm home!"

He smiled " then so am I." He said with a smile. " if you are, because you are home to me."

"awww Gil!" She said kissing him lightly. Soon their tongues intertwined with each others as the kissing became more intense.

" Anne, please oh please don't kiss me like this if we can't." He whispered.

" who says we can't?" she asked him.

" I keep expecting to come home one day for you to say you're pregnant again." He whispered.

" Oh?" she said slightly insulted. " don't you wish for more?"

He laughed " of course I do but your body needs the rest. We've been married just under 3 years and you've been pregnant for most of that time! You need time to recover." He smiled at his wife " so I'll say it again, please don't kiss me like that unless we can without the risk." He said steadily.

" my period..." She said with a slight blush " just finished..." She straddled her husband bringing herself closer to him " yesterday." She whispered she unbuttoned her top lay it to one side and let her hair down her back.

" Oh please, please!" He started playfully " yes please!" He kissed into her neck. " please?" he asked again.

She smiled. " yes Gil." She confirmed before he pulled off his shirt and kissed her more This time with the intent he KNEW what was happening!


	13. Nightmares and sickness

A year and a half later Gilbert woke suddenly from his nightmare. He gasped slightly trying to sort nightmare from reality. He looked to his side where his wife lay asleep.

Thank the heavens above THAT wasn't real. Anne was his wife!

And had been for the past four years 2 months.

And she had bore his three children.

He got out of bed and went into the boys room. Ever since Walter had come out the cot three months ago he would find his two sons asleep next to each other in the same bed instead of in their separate twin beds a regular occasion. This was one of those nights.

Jem with his mother's adorable curly red hair tightly circling his head lying furthest up his arm wrapped securely round his brother, nothing noting them as brothers Walter with his straight black hair and dark grey eyes. Yet they were of the same seed. His and Anne's! He gently picked up Walter putting him back in his own bed kissing both his sons goodnight.

He went back into bed and wrapped his arm around Anne, she stirred in his arms turning to face him.

"Hey," her voice croaked. "is everything ok?" she asked him.

"Just a nightmare, I just needed to hold you, I didn't mean to wake you." He murmured.

"hmmmm." She murmured snuggling into him. Letting him play with her hair, she knew he liked to. "Do you want to tell me about it?" she whispered.

He sighed a little. "I dreamt you married Roy Gardner and not me. That you had three beautiful children who were his and not mine and I could feel it killing me."

Anne looked up from his chest she had been snuggled into. " Oh Gil..." She murmured. "you really need to know, I never loved Roy. YOU are the only man I have ever loved." She told him.

"I know." He whispered. "but Anne…"

"No buts end of, I never have and never will be in love with Royal Gardner! My heart had pinned for only you, just you, and no one else, and those boys in there, are your sons! And our Joy is literally an angel." Anne sighed "I choose you every time, every time."

He looked down at his wife and kissed her gently. The kiss quickly deepened their lips making way for their tongues becoming intertwined. "Anne.." He murmured, "Please sweetheart can we?" he asked her.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "I'm at the peak time in my cycle." She told him. He started to pull away gently when she stopped him. "I didn't say no." She whispered.

"But you said...?" he trailed confused.

"Gil, focus, you are not confused." She flirted.

He looked down at his wife his eyes lighting with acknowledgment. "Are you saying...?"

She smiled biting her bottom lip "I want more babies with you." She lay him on the bed and climbed on top of him she leaned over and whispered in his ear "Very very soon." Kissing his ear he melted "all yours, no one else's." She told him taking off her night dress.

3 weeks later Anne was green with sick. She had done nothing but be sick for the past week, she was sick of being sick! What was worse is that it wasn't happening in the day but through the night she was nauseous so she couldn't sleep then every couple of nights she'd be sick again.

Gilbert smiled. "I think you're pregnant again." He said sitting in the bed beside her wiping her brow as she lay down.

" it wasn't like this with any of them! Not so early on! What if I really am sick?"

He chuckled. " then you have the best husband for the job. Close your eyes and rest. Susan has the boys with Walter well and truly on his feet now there's no stopping them." He brought his legs into the bed laying beside her.

"Walter likes Keats reading to him over breakfast, and Jem doesn't like sitting in the blue chair it had to be..."

" the red, I know this dearest. As does Susan."

" and don't raise your choice to Walter he'll only start to cry he's such a sensitive soul."

"I know he's your son." Gilbert muttered.

She tapped him lightly as they laughed "I heard that!" She told him. " when can you confirm I'm pregnant is it still too early?"

He nodded " we just have to look out for the signs I'm afraid, though going off our track record we are most likely pregnant."

"Did I at least reassure you that I love only you?" Anne asked sleepily.

He let a laugh escape. "Remind me again?" he flirted kissing her neck.

"hmmmm." She approved. "But aren't I suppose to be resting?" she questioned still sleepy

"Don't you find it relaxing and invigorating?" he asked her kissing further down her neck.

"Okay honey whatever you like." She murmured closing her eyes. He drew back knowing she wasn't really giving permission and smiled gently and let his wife fall into a slumber. She may not know it yet but he did. She was carrying his baby!

9 weeks later neither Anne or Gilbert were in doubt. Anne's bump normally small and perfectly formed seemed to extend over her entire front. She was definitely only 12 weeks but looked 20!

She came into his study in tears one morning. He looked at her, her half buttoned up shirt her hair loose down her back.

"Anne?" he asked coming round his desk. "What is it my love?" he asked her.

"Look at me!" she exclaimed.

He looked over her again. Despite her half dressed state she was adorable. "Well..." He started confused.

"Just say it I can take it." She cried. "I know it so you must know it, it must be bad enough to be married to a redhead now this too!" She wailed.

"Anne sweetheart..."

"I'm so fat!" she exclaimed.

Gilbert was astonished as she hugged into him. He chuckled " what?"

"I'm fat, I'm fat look at me! I can't fit in my clothes anymore. I always wanted dimples like the others but all I get is this!" She wailed into him.

He took a deep breath to contain the laughter he felt rising. Three pregnancies taught him not to laugh no matter how ridiculous she was being. "Anne my love, you're not fat, you're pregnant."

"But I feel twice the size as I did with even Jem and HE was our biggest. I can't do up my corset and my skirt doesn't fit anymore!" She said crying.

He let her sob for a minute he led her back to the bedroom. He reached up to the case which held her maternity clothes in them. He unlaced her current corset and went into the case for a pregnancy one helping her into it. He found the maternity shirts and skirts dressing the still sobbing Anne in them. He led her to the vanity mirror sitting get in front of it. He started to brush her hair and started lightly

"Do you remember with Joy you wouldn't eat apples and my mamma sent over those apples, you cried because you couldn't eat them."

"Apples made me sick." She stared in the mirror.

" And with Jem it was beef you almost turned green when Marilla Cooking it on boxing day."

"Three times while we were there, what's the chances?" she said with a small smile appearing on her lips.

Gilbert in this time had managed to put her hair in a single plait down her back, not the most fashionable hair style but one which reminded him of a younger Anne a school. " other things are different too, can you remember your baby bump sizes nine months with Joy was seven months with Jem and the way Walter would stick his bottom in the air." He laughed.

" can you remember his little foot sticking out, we could see the outline." Anne smiled.

" everyone different, everyone special." He said turning her round and holding her tummy. "just as this one is. We'll be able to say 'with our fourth you carried at the front and they loved to show off.'" He smiled at her. "as for your other concern of me being married to a redhead, I KNOW exactly who it is I married. I made my bed now I have to lie in it." He told her, he kissed her gently then leaned to her ear "preferably with you in it." He flirted. This made her laugh gently the tears now stopped. " and I happen to think, you are at your most beautiful, whenever you are carrying my children." He kissed her again " it's such a turn on!" He whispered kissing her again. " and I'm not saying it is, but if it was that you put on weight aside from the pregnancy, then there would just be more of you to love, I wouldn't care a jot, don't you forget it." Gilbert smiled and looked at her hair " you look like you did at school, you've not aged a bit!"

Anne smiled "Especially with my hair like this." She smiled looking in the mirror again. " do I really look like I did then? I thought I got a little prettier."

Gilbert shook his head " you've always been beautiful carrots." He told her kissing her again. "I love you."

"I love you Gil." She looked at him. "Thank you Gil. You've made it better."

"Come on then, let's go and face the world. So I can show off my beautiful wife."


	14. Expect the unexpected

**Hello folks!**

 **Just so you all know, I will endeavor to get as much out to you all as possible but I'm not sure how possible it will be. I love doing this but certain developments in home life may make it a bit more tricky then it has been to get them out to you all. Nothing terrible... I hope... just developments... But those who want to know I will certainly keep updated. Everyone else please bare with me and have patience. Honestly its to a good cause!**

 **love Carrots**

 **Thanks for the follows klainepuppylove**

 **Thanks for the likes: thefermi**

Anne now seven months pregnant took a turn around their garden, it was April now the cherry trees were blooming and the daffodils were waving in the light breeze! Anne felt as big as a house! But she couldn't to help in these moments of quiet to walk round their garden, it was so peaceful! Both the boys sleeping at nap time was nothing short of a miracle! She was quiet surprised when Gilbert found her between the cherry trees at one edge of the garden.

"its not like you to be home the middle of the day?" Anne asked him

"after my visit with Mrs Pratt I went to the post office." He told her as they approached the house. "I found something rather exciting there." He said with a smile.

"Oh?" Anne asked.

"mmm." He sounded helping take her jacket off. "after we lost Joyce I wrote to some of my old chums from medical school just to ask them to keep an eye out for any advances in prenatal care."

Anne looked at him "how very proactive." Anne smiled as they went into his study.

"yes I thought so at the time too, although I never received any responses..." he paused a little "until today." He continued "you remember Richard Williams?" he asked her as she nodded. "well he ended up going to Europe and picking up quite a prestigious job in France under a certain Doctor Adolphe Pinard who is a leading doctor in prenatal care. Well they've been working on something, quite new and Richard convinced Doctor Pinard to let him pass one of these onto me." He said smiling holding up a cone like object. Anne looked at it.

"what is it?" Anne questioned.

"this is a Pinard Horn, very egotistical I know but , its used to listen to the baby's heartbeat, while still in the womb." He said with another smile.

Anne blinked quickly then smiled. "how?"

" Same way as an ear trumpet by amplifying sound, but because its so focused its not like the stethoscope the other sounds of the womb won't interfere as much making the baby's heartbeat as clear." He smiled at her. "can I try?"

Anne smiled and nodded, he lay down on the sofa, he felt around her tummy "this little one needs to turn!" he said with a smile.

"that's strange I'm sure I felt him turn the other day." Anne said to him.

"no that's definitely..." Gilbert stopped suddenly and gasped.

"can you hear it?" she asked him.

Gilbert's face widened! "that's my baby's heartbeat! Oh Anne I wish you could hear it!"

"I wish you could know what it feels like to feel them move in you, we'll call it a fair exchange." She smiled.

" you are amazing!" He said putting the hornet down moving up to kiss his wife. " you're making a baby in there! A real baby is in there." He kissed her gently. " thank you, thank you for our babies."

Okay she had to remain calm, so her waters broke and Gilbert had gone to assist in another birth, she couldn't bother him, she wouldn't bother him...

" Anne sweetheart we need to call Gilbert back." His mother panicked.

Anne smiled sweetly "no, I'm fine just now, there are others that need him right now, let's just get ready, that way when he returns home we'll be ready to go." She said calmly.

" you're very calm about this Anne dear." She told her.

" well I've done this before a few times." Anne said with a laugh

it was two weeks earlier then they thought it would be.. which was strange none of them had been early? it still could be hours although her contractions were 5 minutes apart they were strong! She calmly told Susan to get the pots and pans ready and changed into her gown, she neatly folded the towels by the bed and put a few over the top of the covers.

3 minutes apart, She brushed her hair back into a plait there was no point in doing it fancy it just needed to be away from her face, she even had time to play with the boys before the contractions became too much. She went up to the bedroom and wandered round the room quietly.

" Anne?" Mrs Blythe asked her following her up.

" Oh I think it's getting close." Anne told her.

" now will you let me call for Gilbert?"

1 minute apart, okay this baby was coming now! Where was Gil? She lay on the bed panting when the door sprung open.

" Gilbert." She strained.

" Anne what the heck are you doing? Why did you not call for me? I would have came home."

" but, Mrs Hattie needed you." She panted. " Oh please don't be mad with me."

He have a kiss to her forehead. " alright sweetheart, tell me what we know."

" contractions are less then a minute apart, they hurt a lot more then the others Gil."

" it's alright, it's okay, right let me see how far along you are." He said going to inspect." fully dilated good job I got here when I did I can see its head."

" Gil it hurts!" She whined. " help me!"

Gilbert looked at her sadly, "I could but Anne you never wanted it before, you've always insisted..." He looked to his mother " ma can you hold her hand please?" he asked her. Mrs Blythe didn't need asking twice.

" Gil! I have to push!" she shouted.

" okay, alright, push Anne push!" He watched her face in pain, oh it hurt him to watch her in such pain! Oh his Anne! The contraction ended she took a deep breath. " Anne I'm being serious if you need pain relief..."

" I'm NOT having chloroform! It could hurt our baby!" she managed before another contraction hit.

"I think they'll be out on the next contraction sweetheart, you're doing so well!" He encouraged her.

Another push and Gilbert held his daughter wiped her quickly and gave her to Anne. " our daughter Anne, our baby girl!" He said happily. Anne looked happily down at the babe. " Oh Gilbert look at her dark hair oh you can already tell! Look at her sweet face she's just like you!"

" she looks just like Gilbert did." Mrs Blythe smiled.

They kept close armed together for five minutes before Anne felt something strange happening.

" Gilbert?" she questioned. " Gil I want to push again."

" it's probably just the placenta." He said calmly.

" no, I remember that feeling this is different, argh! Gilbert!"

He looked concerned at her, no that look in her eyes wasn't right. " okay it's alright." He said jumping up leaving the baby with Anne. He looked and all colour drained from his face.

" Gil, what's wrong?"

" do you happen to know if twins run in your family? do they in ours?" he asked her and his mother. Feeling her tummy to make sure

"TWINS!" Anne exclaimed. "Oh no no no no please no Gil! You can't be serious?!"

" let's get the placenta out there's definitely another baby in there." Gilbert told her.

" you need to push!" He told her. " ma take the baby." Gilbert ordered jumping into doctor mode.

" no!" She cried as she pushed again, the baby crying as she left her arms. When the contraction ended she looked to her born baby " Oh I'm sorry baby girl, I'm scaring you but apparently mamma has to keep GOING!" She glared at Gilbert before another contraction hit the placenta delivered he could concentrate on the other head which slid into view.

Gilbert's eyes filled with tears, " two! Two at once!" He looked to Anne. " you can do this Anne." He told her.

" do you want to try then tell me I can!?" she managed before another contraction hit.

He smiled " you were always more capable than I was."

" darn right I am." She breathed laughing

.

" do you two ever stop joking?" Mrs Blythe asked perplexed.

" come on two more and they'll be here I bet." Gilbert saw a new contraction rise. " push, push!" He told her.

"I AM PUSHING! Gil!" She breathed heavily.

Gilbert smiled as the head fell in his hand. Lots of twisted very RED hair, even redder than Jems! " one more Anne and they'll be out." He said tears down his face.

" Gil I can't, I can't, I'm too tired." She cried.

" you can Anne, one more, one more I promise Anne and it'll be all over. Unless you have another one hiding in here." He joked.

" if there is YOU'RE giving birth to them!" Anne said contraction rising.

Gilbert smiled " deal done." He told her she managed a quick smile before she pushed again. This time enough of the baby was out for Gilbert to aid the rest out. He cleaned the baby off the baby. " another girl!" he exclaimed holding her looking at her, the baby looked up at her father, Anne's grey green eyes looked up at him. And reached for his face. " my baby girl!" He looked at her, she was the duplicate of Anne. Was this her? Was this the baby he dreamed of all those years ago?

" are they identical?" Anne asked.

" no, no not exactly." he said showing the baby to Anne. " she looks just like you Anne." Gilbert said to her not letting go of the baby her twin sister being returned to Anne's arms. Anne was going to say something about the poor child being cursed looking like her, but looked at the look on Gilbert's face, it was shining with LOVE! His face in a wide smile, he was completely besotted with the girl, Gilbert loved all his babies, but Anne saw something in his eyes she'd never seen before. He was always ready to let Anne hold the babies. But this time, he wasn't letting go of the babe in his arms. Anne couldn't bring herself to ruin THIS moment for him so left him to cradle her.


	15. Reflections

It was within the Blythe constitution, they were all good at it, at least if you were born Blythe. That nulling sickly feeling which makes everyone else cry, you know what happens to a Blythe? Their eyes become wide, expressive and dark. Their faces looses the colour down to the lip, so even if you don't feel what they are, by a mere glance you can tell you everything you need to know if you really know a Blythe. Then later if they don't express it, they make themselves sick with it (you and I can make witness of that can't we reader) until they are able to express it properly, they won't get well.

Being once the very cause of a Blythe said look one fateful afternoon at Patty's Place, I perhaps know it better than most. I soon realised my Blythe had often worn the expression on his face growing up, but he suppressed it, time and time again he hid his feelings so well that no one saw them. Not even his very best friends knew just how deep his emotions ran, but they, every once in a while they overwhelmed him.

I know this Blythe better than anyone and I know his look better than anyone else could.

Its an occupational hazard really. I've become used to it over the past six and a three quarter years. I don't suppose it is the medical schools fault really. I don't suppose you can ever prepare someone for the fact that sometimes no matter what you do, your patient will die and death with take them within its claws and draw the life out of someone. I sometimes see it in other Doctors but they don't seem to feel it as Gilbert does. Oh on the surface he is much like anyone else, sad, apologetic frustrated, but then I see him when he gets home and he needs reminding he can't save everyone and the battle between disease, pain and ignorance wasn't over and the world needed their best 'General' in the fight against those elements. Words aren't always spoken, sometimes they are in just lying on the bed next to him and letting him talk it out. Sometimes that is all which is needed. Sometimes they are expressed in letting him hug into me. He says hearing my heartbeat is soothing to his mind, like he remembers when he hears it there is life.

Tonight I see that look on his face as he comes home. Its been a long birth, I know it has been, he went out before midnight its now 8pm the next day. But the look in his eyes are not the glimmer of hope which life brings within them I see the sting of death. He kisses me gently on the cheek and shakes his head. I know it's the child which didn't make it. I know that dreadful look.

The other children are long in bed. However it is feeding time for the twins so they are both downstairs, just over a year old, Nan to my chest suckling ,he kisses her head then picks up Diana out of the day crib we have in the parlour with us. He holds his own baby close to his chest, she knows him as soon as she sees him she gurgles happily in his arms.

"Da-da" She says to him reaching out with her little hands to his face. His lips smile at her as he lets her hand wrap around his neck. He loves her to the core, Diana is definitely Gilbert's little girl, he sits down with her in arms and just watches her. He is lulled for now until I can finish with our babies.

He doesn't eat, he often doesn't when he is in this mood and that's okay, I can't blame him. We put the twins to bed and make our way to our bedroom. We lie facing each other and hold each other. He starts to cry. You see today isn't just any day, he doesn't normally cry at death (even at birth) but today it has an extra sting, I understand why and I join him, you see today is Joy's 6th birthday.

"They blamed you, didn't they?" I asked quietly in the tears.

I knew the answer. Parents often do blame the doctor for not trying hard enough, for not giving their child the same chance of life as the doctor would give their own, you see the real sting is, whenever a parent says that to Gilbert, he tried everything with our own child to win the battle, but death had still taken her, all he could do in the end was watch as life slipped from her as quickly as it came to her and Gilbert knew of all people, he had blamed himself. He had blamed the Doctor in him for not saving his daughter. He snuggles into my chest hearing my heartbeat does its normal job.

"I miss her." he says quietly.

"As do I." I agree. "I went up to see her today. Have you been?" I asked.

He nodded. "Before I came home." he said.

Of course he did. He wouldn't miss her birthday.

"It was strange without you." I tell him. We managed every year to go up together. We knew it couldn't be every year, people would soon forget it was the anniversary of her birth and death and soon started calling us for the doctor on that day, we knew it was only a matter of time before we would have to go there without each other.

He nodded in acknowledgement. I listen to the days events, he tells me everything so I understand. He finishes and holds me to his own chest tightly.

"Thank you dear," He says quietly. "You always know, you always listen." He pulls me back and looks at me. "How do you always know?" he says some of his own merriment back in his eyes.

I smile faintly back at him. "I know you." I tell him. "And I love you."


End file.
